Commerce Ministry has spent over a million rupees on the visit of a two-member team including Stella Jean, Italian fashion designer from the Export Development Fund (EDF). She was invited by the Prime Minister Adviser on Commerce, Industries and Production and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood.
The EDF Finance committee meeting held last week was told that the main purpose of M/s Jean's visit was to promote textile fashion designing in Pakistan.
TDAP, in a letter submitted the proposal EDF form-1 for reimbursement of actual costs incurred amounting to Rs 1,451,634.70.
Abdul Razak Dawood is said to have expressed his annoyance and disappointment at the poor organization with respect to Pakistan's participation in Shinghai Import & Export Exhibition in China. He advised TDAP to give importance to the manufacturers and next time this should not be like Meena Bazar. The exhibitors should be well mannered.
The committee considered various projects and approved financial support for various projects from EDF funds including Expo Centre Lahore, Pakistan Mega Leather Show to be held in Jan 2020, Pakistan-Africa Development Conference in Kenya organising by Ministry of Commerce in 2020, Pakistan's participation in Expo 2020. The house also allowed financial assistance to PREGMEA on organizing of successful 35th International Apparel Federation (IAF) World Fashion Convention last month and the Fashion Pakistan Week in October 2019 at Karachi.
While going through the implementation status of the decisions of 14th BOD meeting, the house discussed that EDF is the Exporter's Fund and it should be utilized only for the development and enhancement of the country's export.
President FPCCI Engr Daroo Khan while discussing the matter said that the EDF rules and regulations for utilization of EDF Funds by the private chambers and private associations, should not be bound to PPRA rules because such procedures only result in delay in project implementation as well as additional costs. The house strongly agreed and urged a revisit of the EDF rules and regulations particularly pertaining to the utilization of EDF funds by private Chambers and Associations.
In order to facilitate the traders at Chaman border, the matter of construction of Cold storage and warehouse in Chaman to facilitate the traders was discussed at length which was submitted by the President FPCCI. The proposal was welcomed by the house and the need for building of such cold storage and warehouse was agreed. The sources said that this proposal was submitted by FPCCI in October, 2019 and EDF considered the proposal and advised to submit more analytical details as per prescribed EDF Form.
Abdul Razak Dawood assured the manufacturers full support to enhance exports and said that Ministry of Commerce is working on rationalizing the tariff structure in all sectors to enable the manufacturers to come forward and enhance exports of their products in international market which will ultimately strengthen the country's economy.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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