The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council on Tuesday approved a Rs337 project to solarise agriculture tube wells to facilitate the farming community of the country, a press release said.

“Phase-I of the project will have Rs90 billion including Rs30 billion of Provincial PSDP [Public Sector Development Programme] and equivalent share by provincial governments as well as beneficiary farmers for the financial year 2023-24. This project is to enhance agricultural productivity through clean and green energy by converting the existing 100,000 tube wells into solar PV system,” it added.

The ECNEC meeting, chaired by Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, accorded the approval for tube wells solarisation in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

The provincial government of KP will spend Rs29.7 billion on the project while the World Bank will provide a loan of $300 million.

The meeting also approved the “Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP)” at a revised cost of Rs27.41 billion.

Additionally, a project titled “Construction of Lahore Bypass from Kalashah Kaku Exit to KLM to Multan Road near Radio Station (40km approx)” at a cost of Rs 34.44 billion was also approved during the meeting.

A project titled “Emergency Plan for Polio Eradication” with a total cost of $1.78 billion for polio eradication has also been approved.