KARACHI: Officials told to complete cottage industry plan
KARACHI, May 19: The outskirts of Karachi will be arranged in residential, commercial and trade zones, with their own green belts. This was decided in a high-level meeting held at the Governor’s House here on Thursday. Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Senior Provincial Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed, Provincial Industries Minister Adil Siddiqui, Adviser for Local Bodies Waseem Akhtar and Chief Secretary Fazlur Rehman also attended the meeting, presided over by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad.
It was decided that in the meeting that these zones would be used strictly according to their specific purpose, so that environmental needs were fully taken care of.
The meeting discussed various ways and means to spur industrial activities and provision of better facilities to investors. The governor and chief minister asked the concerned officials to ensure investment-friendly atmosphere in the province and provide better services to the investors.
It was decided that proper changes would be incorporated into the relevant laws to remove bottlenecks in this regard. A 15-day deadline was also given to relevant officials to complete their tasks.
The meeting also discussed matters relating to cottage industry and instructed the provincial secretary of industries to finalize a concept plan for cottage and small industries within 15 days.
The meeting also decided to provide Rs 500 million for improving infrastructure, including roads in the SITE area. The governor asked that these uplift works should be linked with a definite deadline, and the whole process should be properly monitored.
Chief Minister Dr Arbab instructed the Board of Revenue (BoR) to provide land for extension of Nooriabad industrial area.
The meeting also reviewed the proposed projects of setting up of windmills along the coastal belt of the province to generate electricity. It was told the foreign investors were keen to heavily invest in these projects.
It was decided that the Sindh chief minister would visit the area along with officials of the BoR, so that rent rate of these lands could be ascertained.
Provincial minister Adil Siddiqui told the meeting that 100 acres would be tagged for setting up proposed cottage industries in Karachi and 30 per cent of these plots would be allotted to women.
The meeting instructed the BoR about land and city survey and asked it to outsource these services.—PPI
