Islamabad: Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources on Friday said it will execute two new projects worth Rs 190 million for coal exploration and evaluation in different localities of Balochistan besides carrying out a survey for underground water in Quetta.
“Out of total Rs190.033 million estimated cost, an amount of Rs88.023m has been proposed for next fiscal year to carry out two new unapproved schemes for coal exploration and evaluation in Nosham and Bahlol Areas of Balochistan, and the underground water survey,” official sources said.
Answering a question, they said the ministry would spend Rs554.291m, under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP 2017-18), to execute four ongoing and two new projects to step up exploration activities of natural resources for achieving self-reliance in the energy sector.
An amount of Rs 415.807m has been earmarked to acquire four drilling rigs and their accessories for the Geological Survey of Pakistan. And Rs37.977m would be spent on appraisal of newly discovered coal resources in Badin and its adjoining areas of Southern Sindh.
The funds amounting to Rs 8.992m would be utilized in exploration and evaluation of metallic and minerals in Bela and Uthal areas of district Lasbella, Balochistan. Similarly, Rs 3.492m have been reserved for exploration of Tertiary Coal in the Central Salt Range of Punjab.
