Federal Minister Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal today directed to formulate an integrated plan on hydro power projects to take up their construction work on fast track basis. This integrated plan should consider financial implications as well as demand and supply of power to be produced from these power plants. A working group must be immediately constituted to work out this integrated plan in shortest possible time. He issued these directives while chairing a high level meeting on hydro power projects, which was attended by Chairman WAPDA and high officials of Ministries of Planning, Development and Reform & Water & Power. Minister particularly mentioned Diamar-Bhasha Dam, which is critical for food security and directed to expedite the work for its ground-breaking at the earliest possible time. Ahsan Iqbal said that government is giving top priority to construction of hydro power projects in the country, which is cheap source of energy. Country needs change in existing energy mix, which is based on oil-fired power plants. The construction of hydro power projects is aimed at changing the energy mix as well as ensuring energy, water and food security in the country. Minister said food, energy and water security is among seven pillars of Vision-2025 for sustainable economic development and these hydro power projects are part of the efforts to achieve this goal. Minister also directed the concerned authorities to work for arranging the finances for these projects from sources other than PSDP.
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