Mines & Mineral sector contributes 3pc to national GDP

LAHORE: The mines and mineral sector contributes 3 percent to the national GDP and this sector in Punjab provides the resource base to a number of industries including cement, soda ash, caustic soda, ceramics, glass, fertilizer, plastic, paper, Ghee, construction and steel industries.

This was disclosed in a briefing given to Caretaker Minister for IC&T Mian Anjum Nisar here on Wednesday.

Briefing the minister, Secretary Dr Arshad that apart from these industries, the majority of mining activity was limited to the extraction and sale of raw minerals with very little and no value addition to the mineral through processing and industrialization.

He said the mining industry in Punjab provides employment opportunities to nearly 40,000 workforce, including skilled, unskilled and professionals labor.

He said that Mines and Minerals department had attached departments included Directorate Generals of Mines and Minerals, Chief Inspector of Mines, Punjab Minerals development company and Punjab Mineral company.

Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Minister Mian Anjum Nisar said, "We have to use all available resources to boost the economy and work hard as a team". He directed the secretary Dr. Arshad to make possible that representative of Mines and Minerals be a part of all chambers and make foolproof security arrangements for the labourers.