ISLAMABAD, Oct 18: The marble and granite sector will be addressed scientifically with a consistent follow-up by the ministry of industries and production to achieve an investment of Rs2 billion and export target of $500 million in this area.

Jahangir Khan Tareen, Minister of Industries and Production, said this while chairing a meeting with marble and granite and gem and jewellery sector stakeholders here on Monday. The meeting was held to submit initial proposals for strategies to be chalked out by Smeda for the development of marble and granite and gem and jewellery sectors as per advice of the minister.

Mr Tareen said that same studies should be carried out for the remaining priority areas without any delay. He said the country needed an emergent solution to the prevailing poverty and unemployment issues. He expressed confidence that the SME sector had the capacity and capability to address such issues amicably. In this regard, he emphasized to draw permanent and long-term strategies.

The Minister specifically desired the creation of institutional arrangements to empower the private sector for implementation of the strategies to be developed by Smeda. He advised Smeda to conclude the development strategies for gem and jewellery and marble and granite at the earliest possible and move on to engineering, furniture, fisheries, sport goods and dairy sectors.

Regarding the development of gem and jewellery sector, the minister announced to institute two separate working groups. Asif Khan, Chairman of the All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association, was nominated as convener of the working group on gem, whereas Asadur Rehman was appointed as convener to the working group on Jewellery.

The minister advised these groups to conclude their working by next week and submit the recommendations through Smeda for further intervention of the ministry.-APP