New policy about industrial states on the cards: Minister

LAHORE: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Chairman and Vice President Zaki Aijaz met with the Minister for Industries and Commerce, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, at the Punjab Industries, Commerce & Investment Department (PICID) in Lahore.

Chaudhry Shafay Hussain said that a new policy about industrial states is coming soon. He underlined that in the future, no industrial estate will be built on agricultural land, and the new industrial estate will not be established until the first industrial estate is completed.

He further said that it has decided to extend the scope of Business Facility Centres. Plans are being made to move the industry to solar. If solar gets cheap electricity, the industry will also be promoted.

Zaki Aijaz said that Punjab Business Facilitation Centres (BFC) are models and operative in five districts. To facilitate the business community, we propose to establish BFCs in all districts. By doing so, we will create an enabling environment for businesses and exports.

He added that the Punjab Board of Investment & Trade (PBIT) should facilitate business in Joint Ventures (JVs). Punjab government should abolish infrastructure development CESS, and provide land on lease for industrialization.

Zaki Aijaz said that establishing the Punjab Chambers of Commerce Coordination Committee (PCCCC) was a historic step towards improving the business environment and providing solutions to problems faced by the business community in Punjab. We propose the Continuity of the Punjab Chambers of Commerce Coordination Committee (PCCCC).

He said the Technical Education & Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) should align human resource training with industry needs. Development should be focused on Punjab Industrial Estate Development and Management Company (PIEDMEC) and Faisalabad Industrial Estate Development & Management Company (FIEDMEC), and industrialization should be promoted.

He stressed that Quaid-e-Azam Business Park (QABP) is a significant project situated on the Lahore—Islamabad Motorway M2 in Sheikhpura, Pakistan. The project was started in 2012; however, there is no development, and the main hurdle is a proper entry point to Quaid-e-Azam Business Park, which is important for Industrial Development. The government may provide one.

Zaki emphasized that we propose a powerhouse and wastewater treatment plant in the estate. When Sundar Industrial Estates was developed, it was said that the estate would have its powerhouse and waste water treatment plant, which is still pending.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024