LAHORE: Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that new industrial policy will augur well for the people by generating jobs for 1.2 million citizens. Working capacity of 500,000 workers will also be enhanced through this policy.

Mr Buzdar said this in a statement issued on Tuesday. He said the government was striving for a 10 percent average annual increase in industrial-growth. Setting up of small and medium size industry will be encouraged by the government under a loan support programme as it will generate employment opportunities for tens of thousands of people.

The interests of traders and industrialists will be safeguarded and necessary incentives will be given to them because the development of the national economy was directly linked with the strengthening of trade and industry. He said that business-related facilitations would be provided through business registration portal and one window centres will be set up for facilitating traders and industrialists.

The chief minister said the Allama Iqbal Industrial Estate would be established in Faisalabad where a huge industrial hub would be set up on an area of 3,317 acres with an amount of Rs23 billion. He said that nine industrial centres would be established on 10,000 acres of land to promote the industry in the province and added that necessary steps were being taken in this regard. Along with it, 150 acres has been provided in Gujranwala while 63 acres were arranged in Wazirabad for setting up small industrial estates. He said that 6,000 citizens will get different types of employment opportunities due to the direct investment of six foreign companies.

Mr Buzdar said the Punjab University of Technology would be established in the Rasool area of Mandi Bahauddin with an amount of Rs2 billion. Moreover, 7,000 graduates of Tevta institutions would be given interest-free loans.

Meanwhile, the chief minister said in a statement that the mission of setting up of a welfare state has been started and the target would be achieved soon.

He said the protection of rights of the citizens and their welfare was the responsibility of the state. The government is following the agenda of public welfare under the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The government wants to do a lot for the welfare of the needy segments of the society and the purpose of Ehsas Programme is to heal the pain of the people, concluded the chief minister.

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2019