— NA standing committee approves ‘The Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill 2017’
ISLAMABAD: Power Division Federal Minister Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari while fulfilling his promise proposed and got approved amendment relating to the severe punishment of imprisonment up to 3 years for those distribution companies’ employees which are involved in overbilling and wrong billing.
Leghari made this promise in his first speech on the floor of National Assembly after taking over as Minister in-charge of power division.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Energy on Tuesday also approved ‘The Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill 2017′ which would bind NEPRA to open its offices in all districts across the country to resolve power consumers’ complaints, especially over-billing that had been declared a criminal act.
The committee met here at WAPDA House with Chaudhry Bilal Ahmed Virk in the chair. Federal Minister for Energy (Power Division) Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, and members of the National Assembly including Malik Ihtebar Khan, Rana Afzaal Hussain, Mian Tariq Mehmood, Rana Muhammad Ishaq Khan, Rasheed Ahmad Khan, Rafique Ahmed Jamali, Nawab Ali Wassan, Dr Imran Khattak, Abdul Waseem and Sajid Ahmed attended the meeting.
In the meeting power division, the minister proposed an amendment to the NEPRA Act whereby an employee of any distribution company would be punished if found involved in overbilling and wrong billing. The proposal was finalised by the Power Division after the federal minister took extensive two weeks briefings and analysing various aspects associated with the amendment.
According to details the new insertion in the NEPRA amendment would enable them to hear and investigate complaints relating to the overbilling and wrong billing by the distribution companies. After an employee is found guilty the matter will be referred to the concerned law enforcing agencies for registration of proper FIR.
The committee members applauded the minister for the historic amendment.
The committee members hoped that the initiative would not only resolve the grave issue on a permanent basis but also ensure relief to the consumers of all categories including agriculture, industry, commercial and domestic. It would also strengthen the NEPRA’s role as the power regulator.
Leghari during the meeting also passed directions to the DISCOs CEOs regarding close liaison with MNAs and other representatives. He directed the CEOs to keep a transparent record of development projects and it must be ensured that these projects are completed within the time frame.
The federal minister also directed the DISCOs chiefs to place all the details and complete schedule of their SDGs (Prime Minister’s Global Sustainable Development Goals Programme) regarding electrification of villages and other areas, on their respective websites so as to keep the stakeholders, elected representatives and the general public abreast about the progress on the SDGs.
Committee Chairman Chaudhry Bilal directed DISCOs to also ensure display of lists regarding status/progress on demand notices for agricultural tube-wells and transformers, outside the offices of all the respective SDOs (Sub-Divisional Officers) for the convenience and information of the people.
The committee also took serious notice of the shortage of electricity installation material and other equipment, and called for ending the shortage at the earliest, besides immediate completion of the old feeders’ up-gradation projects.
Federal Power Minister Leghari directed Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) and all distribution companies (DISCOs) to prepare item-wise proposals to cope effectively with the issue of material shortage.
Considering the proposals, he added, the Power Division would decide whether to import those items or to enhance their manufacturing capacity at a local level so as to bridge the demand and supply gap of electric installations material and equipment.
The committee members also stressed the need for fulfilling the shortage of SDOs, line superintendents, linemen, meter readers, meter inspectors and other posts. They also unanimously approved the NEPRA amendment bills for reporting to the National Assembly for further legislation.
