Monday, the 9Th August, 2021
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1 (35th Session) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT ———— ―QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES‖ to be asked at a sitting of the National Assembly to be held on Monday, the 9th August, 2021 96. *Ms. Tahira Aurangzeb: (Deferred during 19th Session) Will the Minister for Law and Justice be pleased to state: (a) the name of cities of the country in which Model Courts are working at present; and (b) the number thereof? Minister for Law and Justice (Dr. Muhammad Farogh Naseem): (a) & (b) The information is not available in the Ministry as setting up of Model Courts is not the initiative of the Federal Government. The Model Courts are administered by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, therefore, the Registrar, Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Federal Judicial Academy have been requested, to provide the requisite information, vide this Division’s letters dated 7th February, 2020, 26th February, 2020, 1st April, 2020, 29th April, 2020, 3rd June, 2020, 10th July, 2020, 4th September, 2020, 23rd November, 2020, 21st January, 2021, 19th February, 2021, 05th April, 2021, 14th June, 2021and 02-08-2021. Once the information is received the same will be provided to the National Assembly by this Division. 7. *Agha Hassan Baloch: (Deferred during 28th Session) Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state: (a) the district-wise ratio of area of each district of Balochistan which has facility of electricity; 2 (b) whether it is a fact that most of areas of Balochistan does not have facility of electricity; (c) if so, the reasons thereof; and (d) what steps are being taken by the Government to provide electricity in such areas at earliest? Reply not received. 15. *Mr. Muhammad Afzal Khokhar: (Deferred during 28th Session) Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that irregularities of trillions of rupees, both administrative and financial, which have been pointed out in power sector by the Government’s auditors in the year 2019-20 are confirmed proof of poor administration and Governance of incumbent Government in the power sector; (b) whether it is also a fact that public at large had to pay the price of such institutional negligence in terms of increasing electricity tariff; (c) if the answers to part (a) and (b) above are in affirmative, whether the responsible held accountable by departments concerned; if so, the details thereof; if not, the reasons thereof; and (d) what corrective measures are being taken particular with reference to not transfer or shift the burden of such institutional negligence to general public? Minister for Power Division (Mr. Muhammad Hammad Azhar): (a), (b), (c) & (d) The Government Auditors in Audit Report for the year 2019-20 has pointed out general nature audit paras which are being replied during DAC’s meetings. The audit paras are further discussed in the meetings of Public Accounts Committee and directives of the PAC are implemented accordingly. The Government Auditors undertake the audit of every Government departments. The report so furnished can be termed 3 as preliminary, as there are other forums, where the observations raised by Audit department are contested. Therefore, observations raised by audit cannot be termed as final unless or until they pass the lest of DAC and PAC. 145. *Mr. Abdul Qadir Patel: (Deferred during 28th Session) Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state: (a) the details of improvements, which were required to make in transmission system by Karachi Electricity (KE), as per agreement of privatization; (b) whether or not such improvements were made by KE; if so, the details thereof; if not, the reasons thereof; and (c) whether or not KE held accountable; if it could not make due improvements in their system? Minister for Power Division (Mr. Muhammad Hammad Azhar): (a) At the outset, it needs to be underscored that K-Electric is now regulated by NEPRA and investment plans in K-Electric as well as tariff determination is decided by NEPRA. With respect to the investments in transmission system of K-Electric, Ministry of Energy (Power Division) consulted with K-Electric for response on the question. It is also mentioned here that K-Electric is vertically integrated and all the distribution, generation (excluding power supply agreed between K-Electric and Federal Government), and transmission within the jurisdiction of K-Electric is the exclusive domain of K-Electric. In terms of Implementation Agreement, K-Electric was required to invest about Rs. 8.7 Billion for upgrading in KE’s Transmission System. As conveyed by K-Electric approximately Rs. 11 Billion have been incurred for the same by KE. Following have been done by KE for improvement of the transmission system:— i. Addition of 19 new grid stations. ii. Enhancement of transmission capacity by about 88% from 3,480 MVA in 2005 to 6,536 MVA. 4 iii. Significant reduction in transmission losses by about 17% points June 2021 iv. Rehabilitation of over 420 Km of old circuit length and addition of over 165 Km of EHT lines since 2009 and up-to June 2021. (b) In addition to the above, KE rehabilitated KDA - Jamshoro lines enabling KE to draw and additional power of 450-600 MW (i.e. a total 1,100-1,200 MW) from National Grid through existing interconnections. Moreover, KE is upgrading its transmission network as well as interconnections with national grid to off-take surplus capacity of national grid bringing the total to 2,050 MW. (c) The performance of transmission system of the K-Electric is evaluated by NEPRA and the last report published by NEPRA in this respect is for the year 2017-18. 2. *Ms. Shagufta Jumani: (Deferred during 31st Session) Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that prices of electricity for the life line consumers has been increased in the tenure of incumbent Government; (b) if so, the details of consumers who come under the category of life line; (c) the reasons for making such increase; (d) since when such increase has been made for the consumers of life line; and (e) what steps are being taken by the Government to lessen the prices of electricity? Reply not received. 5 20. *Ms. Shahida Rehmani: (Deferred during 31st Session) Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state: (a) the increase made by K. Electric in electricity prices from March, 2018 to March, 2021 in Karachi; and (b) the name of the areas of Karachi where loadshedding is being carried out alongwith the duration of said loadshedding? Minister for Power Division (Mr. Muhammad Hammad Azhar): (a) A schedule of Tariff applicable to different category of consumers of K-Electric for the said period is attached as Annex-I. There is an increase of tariff by about Rs. 2 to 6 per KWh depending on the category of the consumer during the period from 2018 to March 2021. It is also mentioned here that the Federal Government in order to incentive industry post COVID-19, granted Rs. 12.96/KWh on incremental consumption to industrial consumers of, among others, K-Electric w.e.f. Nov. 2020 to June 2021. (b) As informed by K-Electric, presently, more than 78% of Karachi is exempt from loadshedding with 100% exemption to industries. KE carries out loadshedding in the remaining areas as per its AT&C (Aggregate Technical and Commercial) Losses based load-shed policy which is in compliance with the provisions of the National Power Policy 2013 and is also practiced by other DISCOs across the country. As explained by K-Electric, they are trying for load-shedding reduction through loss reduction initiatives, and they have set target to exempt up-to 93% of feeders from loadshedding by FY 23. K-Electric has further informed that Loadshedding is carried out depending on the loss category of the respective feeder. The Load- shedding areas have been divided into three categories as following:— i. Medium loss areas where load-shedding of one hour is carried out three times during a day. ii. High Loss areas where load-shedding of two hours have been carried out three times during a day; and 6 iii. Very high loss areas where load-shedding of two and half (2.5) have been carried out three times during a day. As informed by K-Electric, currently following are the high loss areas where load-shed of between 6 to 7.5 hours a day is carried out (in 3 spells) on feeders depending on their loss profile, as per company’s segmented load-shed policy: (a) Gadap (b) Malir (c) Orangi (d) Baldia (e) Lyari (f) New Karachi (g) Surjani K-Electric has further explained that within these high loss areas, there are feeders which are duly exempt from load-shedding due to better loss profiles. K-Electric has submitted that on the back of continued loss reduction initiatives, improvements have been witnessed in loss profiles resulting in load-shed reduction 2020-21. (Annexure has been placed in the National Assembly Library) 10. *Syed Mehmood Shah: (Deferred during 33rd Session) Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state: (a) the amount of funds issued for the construction of 132KV Grid Station in Quetta District Kallat so far; (b) whether work on the aforesaid project is showing progress according to the prescribed schedule; (c) if its pace is slow, the reasons thereof; and (d) the steps taken or being taken by the Government for its early completion? Reply not received. 7 14. *Syed Mehmood Shah: (Deferred during 33rd Session) Will the Minister for Energy (Power Division) be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the Sangjani Grid Station, on the pretext of repair/maintenance has disconnected the supply of Electricity to Cabinet Division Employees Cooperative Housing Society, and the adjacent areas during the whole day for the last several months; (b) if so, the reasons thereof; and (c) the time by which repair or maintenance work will be completed for supplying un-interrupted electricity? Minister for Power Division (Mr.