Government’s Special Initiative to Provide Off-Grid Power Solutions to 20 Backward Districts
The Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives has launched the “Special Development Initiative for Poor Districts of Pakistan,” targeting 20 underdeveloped districts across the country. These districts, selected based on high Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) scores, span Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab.
The initiative aims to provide off-grid electrification solutions to these districts as part of a comprehensive approach to uplift underprivileged areas. It includes interventions in physical and digital connectivity, productive sectors, livelihoods, social development, and social protection.
The identified districts are:
Sherani
Kohlu
Jhal Magsi
Awaran
Barkhan
Killa Abdullah
Zhob
Musakhel
Dera Bugti
Jaffarabad
Killa Saifullah
Sujawal
Thatta
Tharparkar
Kashmore
Badin
Torghar
Shangla
North Waziristan
Rajanpur
To facilitate this initiative, the Ministry has requested the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), along with the Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC) and the World Bank, to provide essential information by April 3, 2024. This includes mapping electrification, identifying unelectrified populations, suggesting off-grid solutions or alternative mechanisms, and estimating costs for electrification in these districts.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman
