ISLAMABAD, Nov 3 (APP):The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Tuesday recommended the power ministry to stop collection of Neelum Jhelum Surcharge from electricity bills by next month. The committee which met here with Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani in the chair directed the ministry to move a new summary for abolishing the surcharge from the utility bills. The meeting was informed that so far WAPDA had collected an amount of Rs 4.7 billion extra amount from the power consumers under the head of Neelum Jhelum Surcharge. The chairman maintained that the project had already achieved its commercial operation and was earning money by producing the electricity, therefore WAPDA should immediately stop the surcharge. Joint Secretary Power Ministry Khair Muhammed informed that a summary had already been moved by the ministry to divert the surcharge to other projects such as Diamir Bhasha Dam, and the Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet (ECC) would decide about the summary. The committee, however, was not convinced and recommended that at first the Neelum, Jhelum Surcharge should be abolished and then a new summary for another surcharge should be moved. The committee gave one week time to the power ministry for compliance. … Continue reading Senate body asks WAPDA to stop collecting Neelum Jhelum Surcharge from next month