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| April 20, 2003 | Sunday | Safar 17, 1424 |
Natural resources to be used for development: CM
PESHAWAR, April 19: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has said the MMA government is working on formulating a natural resource-based programme for the economic development of the province.
Talking to newsmen on the occasion of the International Investment Conference of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in Islamabad on Saturday, the chief minister said the government wanted to put the country on the track of rapid economic development by exercising strict financial control, reduction in non-developmental expenditures and judicious use of the resources.
The government, he said, had started construction of Malakand-III hydropower generation units which would produce 81mw electricity. The electricity would be provided on subsidised rates to the industrial estate to be established in the nearby area.
The project would earn Rs1 billion annually for the province. He said there were about 35 points in the province where power generation units could be established.
The oil and gas reserves discovered at district Karak, the chief minister said, was a gift of God and the gas recovered there was enough to meet the requirements of the province. The Kohat tunnel was a great project and had provided an easy communication link for the southern district of the province, he added.
He said the government had chalked out a comprehensive plan for the exploitation of water resources for production of hydle power. Under the new policy hydle power generation project would be established at canals and springs, Mr Durrani further said.
“The government has also evolved a three-pronged policy for promoting medium and small size enterprises and tourism industry in the province” and to achieve this objective all hurdles had been removed, he said.
The MMA government, he said, wanted to strengthen the economic base of the province so as to reduce dependence on the donors and the federal government.
The chief minister said law and order had been improving and the investors would feel secured under the present administration as the government believed that without a peaceful environment no investment of any kind was possible.
On the occasion, the chief minister visited various stalls, including that of the Heavy Mechanical Factory Taxila (HMFT).
He said the HMFT was playing an important role in the development of the country. He took keen interest in Al-Khalid 400 tank, Al-Zarar tank and armoured vehicles made by Pakistan.
The chief minister was informed about the role of heavy machinery in defence sector.
In this respect, he asked various questions. He was informed that in early 60s, the mobility of Al-Zarar tank was 500, which now had been improved up to 700.
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