Finance Minister Ishaq Dar has convened a meeting of Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Monday to approve advanced metering projects for distribution companies to deal with electricity theft.

Sources said that the meeting would consider and approve a proposal with respect to advanced metering infrastructure project for second and fifth circles and new customers as well as billing system for the entire company in Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco).

Another advanced metering infrastructure project Rawalpindi Circle Taxila division BI-BII customer of the entire company and new modern billing system for the entire company in Islamabad Electricity Company Limited (IESCO) is also to be approved.

The meeting would also consider a proposal of 500KV transmission line for Islamabad West sub Division and 20 megawatt hydro power plant Hanzi.

An official stated that the government had been facing serious problems in dealing with electricity theft and consequently compounding the problem of circular debt.

He said so far issue of power theft and line losses was being dealt with through tariff increase but with increase in tariff, volume of circular debt was also increasing.