Smeda plans to revive Khadi industry in southern Punjab

Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) has evolved a well-knitted plan for accelerating economic activities and gender empowerment in Southern Punjab, said Provincial Chief Smeda Muhammad Alamgir Choudhary. In an interview with Business Recorder here last evening, he said: "We are working on Prime Minister's village product specialisation initiatives for southern Punjab.
Smeda Provincial Chief disclosed that under the programme Khadi Crafts Development Company project was being initiated at a cost of Rs 492 million, of which the share of private sector would be Rs 262 million in Southern Punjab. The concept of the project was to revive traditional craft of Khadi industry, enhancing its competitiveness and productivity in Southern Punjab, he said.
Alamgir further stated that the project would also ensure economic empowerment of marginalised sections of the society including women, landless village artisans through skill development and provision of opportunities for income generation and to train and promote skilled labour in Khadi sector.
He revealed that under the programme Southern Punjab Embroidery industries project costing Rs 816.125 million was being initiated, adding that government contributed Rs 212.193 million while Rs 603.932 million would be invested by the private sector. The primary goal of the project was to generate economic activity in Southern Punjab and provide training and employment to the local people on their indigenous strengths, he said.
Smeda Provincial Chief further disclosed Leather Crafts Development Company project costing Rs 459.01 million would also be set in Southern Punjab, adding that share of government would be Rs 214.01 million while private sector investment would be Rs 245 million.
The step was being taken for adding value in traditional craftsmanship of leather products sector, enhancing competitiveness, efficiency, quality and productivity of leather products and infuses gender empowerment in the region by employing at least 50 percent women in the workforces added. In addition to this special step was also being taken for the revival of Multani Blue Pottery project costing Rs 120.909 million of which Rs 61.407 million would be the private investment, he disclosed.
He said the basic concept of the project was to protect and preserve the heritage of traditional Multani Pottery, to cater the objective of revival of traditional crafts of blue pottery sector, enhancing competitiveness and productivity of blue pottery and economic empowerment of marginalized segment including women folk and landless village artisans through skill development and provision of opportunities for income generation.
Alamgir said artisans would be trained on modern lines in blue pottery and ultra modern research and development centre would also be established.
Meat processing and training company project would be set up at a cost of Rs 575 million in Multan and prime objectives of the project was to provide training facilities to the local human resource (male and female) as certified butcher for sustainable livelihood opportunities within the country and abroad as well as this project would help in export of trained and certified Muslim butchers to USA, UK and Middle East, he added.
He said that juice processing and packing line for fresh fruits and vegetable project was also being set up at cost of Rs 159.92 million in Multan. The project was aimed at utilisation of local fruit and vegetables for production of juices and exploring huge market potential of fruit and vegetable juices, he added. He said that accomplishment of those projects would surely supportive in accelerating the economic and productivity as well as would create wide opportunities of employment in Southern Punjab.