The federal government has moved ahead with plans to extend natural gas to villages located near producing gas fields, approving initial funding for a project in Sindh while preparing a nationwide policy for similar communities.
The decision was taken at a meeting of a subcommittee of the Senate Standing Committee on Petroleum, which reviewed progress on the implementation of the prime minister’s 2003 directive and Supreme Court orders requiring gas supply to eligible villages situated close to gas-producing fields.
As part of the first phase, the committee approved the release of Rs. 200 million to begin supplying gas to 42 villages surrounding the Badar Gas Field in Ghotki district. The overall cost of the project is estimated at Rs. 617 million, with the remaining funds to be arranged by the Petroleum and Finance divisions.
Officials told the committee that the initial amount would be released from a Rs. 1 billion allocation, allowing work on the project to begin immediately. The Managing Director of Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) said the company would start engineering, procurement, and other technical activities as soon as the funds are released, with mobilization expected within 10 days.
The Petroleum and Finance divisions assured lawmakers that funding for the remaining phase of the project would be provided without interruption to avoid delays in completing gas connections for the villages.
The committee was also informed that the Petroleum Division is preparing a comprehensive policy for supplying gas to all eligible villages located within a five-kilometer radius of gas-producing fields across the country.
The policy will outline funding arrangements, implementation schedules, responsibilities of stakeholders, and project timelines, and will be presented at the committee’s next meeting following consultations with relevant stakeholders.
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