Records of industrial zones being computerised

In an effort to lure investment in a variety of available segments, Sindh Minister for Commerce and Industries M Rauf Siddiqui has said that the process of computerisation of existing records of industrial zones was underway and would be completed shortly.
"The computerisation of all the records of the industries would help avert corruption and irregularities being faced by the administrative departments, besides boosting economic activities and create employment opportunities", he said while talking to Business Recorder at his office on Friday.
Commenting on the current economical crises, he said they could be met through massive industrialisation process by providing extra-ordinary facilities to the stakeholders. He said there should be ways and means needed to be adopted to initiate organised industrialisation to combat the menace of hunger, financial helplessness and poverty.
He said that like the Northern By-pass, another expressway was also need of the hour to link DHA, Korangi with superhighway that would facilitate transportation and resolve traffic problems. He said the establishment of food/fruit processing units be encouraged, lucrative incentives be announced for the business entrepreneurs, metallic roads and necessary infrastructure be made available to create access to products.
About the expansion of Site Nooribabad, the minister said no expansion was ever granted, but in fact 5,000 acres of land was allocated in 1984 to Site Limited, but possession was given for only 3,000 acres and balance land of 2,000 acres was given to the Site Limited in 2004. However, the Site Ltd has approached the Sindh government for the expansion.
He emphasised the need to develop and modernise the agro-based industry in the province, adding that the sale of industrial plots to anyone is not allowed. He said a comprehensive policy was being chalked out to check defaulters who had held the land vacant/idle without purpose or activity shall be levied with heavy rental charges and penalty, besides cancellation of their plots.
"The Sindh government would not allow those who were allotted the plots to sell the land for profit and further investment as seen in the past as it is purely for the industrialisation", he warned. Rauf Siddiqui said the government had granted several acres of land for industrialisation, which included 300 acres in Hyderabad and 500 acres in Dhabeji. He said that land had also been granted in the adjoining areas of the Superhighway.
To a question about the land grabbing by the land mafia, he said Site Engineer and technical staff would be held responsible for any such activity and strict disciplinary action would be taken against them if they fail to protect government lands from the mafia. He said that volatility in the international oil markets and ups and downs in food prices had also affected the local industries adversely and had led to high cost of production but they were trying to overcome all obstacles to continue doing business.
Furthermore, Siddiqui said the government was in talks about further improving ties between Pakistan and the United States and European countries to enhance exports from the country to the latter to rectify the imbalance in their trade. About the security measures of the industrial zones, he said that efforts were being made to encourage both Site Ltd and Sindh Small Industries Corporation to organise their own security on self-help basis in all the industrial zones in the province.