KARACHI, June 9: The Sindh Assembly was informed on Thursday that an industrial estate was being set up in Larkana over 500 acres of forest land to boost industrialisation and generate employment opportunities for the people.

The minister said that the scheme for development of infrastructure had been prepared by SITE Ltd and sent to the Planning Commission of Pakistan for consideration and approval from the Central Development Working Party and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council.

He said that the scheme would be put into operation as and when infrastructure was approved by the competent forum and the land would be allotted to interested industrialists for setting up industrial units.

He said that President Asif Ali Zardari was taking a keen interest in the project and assured him of providing Rs2 billion for initiating the project.

Replying to another question, the minister denied that a piece of land near Jamia Binoria in SITE Employees Colony was allotted to some party.

He also dispelled the impression that employees in that colony were being relocated to some other place.

However, he made a suggestion for providing employees safe environment as they had been living in the area prone to industrial pollution.

Answering a question from the same member as to whether any agreement had been signed in 2008 between the Sindh government and the Asian Development Bank regarding SITE, Mr Siddiqui said that no such agreement was in the knowledge of his department.

Responding to another question, he said that the Sindh industrial development company had not yet been established.

He denied that any change was made in the SITE map of the central road entering the SITE area from Hub River Road. However, he added that all codal formalities to regularise a piece of land measuring 416 sq yds had been completed. The plot was earmarked No F/770.

Explaining further, the minister said that the plot was regularised on payment of premium of Rs429,752 at the rate of Rs5,000,000 per acre.

Regularisation fee was approved by the SITE Board of Directors on 7-2-2008.