LAHORE: The Punjab government has suspended the import of solar panels for Ujala programme in Punjab due to 32 percent raise in import duty.
The government has started a programme to provide solar lamps to the brilliant students of matriculation and intermediate because of load shedding. In the fiscal year 2012-2013, the Punjab government distributed 200,000 solar lamps among the schoolchildren on merit basis.
For 2014-15, the government had decided to distribute 170,000 solar lamps and allocated an amount of Rs 3.66 billion in the budget.
According to the Punjab government officials, the FBR has imposed 32 percent duty on import of solar lamp, which will cost the government extra Rs 1.11 billion, compelling it to suspend the import until getting a reply from the finance ministry.
Sources said that heavy amount of tax will affect the project that was aimed at the welfare of the students. Earlier, the Punjab government had provided laptops to brilliant students.
Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has written a letter to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to get immunity from taxes on solar panels.
