'1,000 flats for labourers at Northern Bypass'

Sindh Minister for Labour, Transport, Cooperation, Industries and Commerce Muhammad Adil Siddiqui has informed the business community that the government is establishing 1,000 apartment for labourers at Northern Bypass.
Speaking at a dinner, hosted by Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (Kati) on Wednesday to commemorate the "Sitara-i-Imtiaz" conferred on S.M.Munir, he said that the flat complex would have school, playground, mosque, shopping centre etc. Beside Karachi, the provincial government was also constructing 120 flats for the labourers at Hyderabad, he added.
The minister said the government had planned to construct around 5,400 flats at a cost of rupees four billion in the province, including Karachi, Hyderabad and Kotri. Adil Siddiqui said that the government was encouraging development of cottage industry in the province and was providing all facilities to the investors. Besides, the government was also making efforts to organise 100,000 cottage industries in houses.
About Cottage Industrial Park, he said that the government had invited application through banks for allotment of plots at Northern Bypass cottage industrial park. The applications would be forwarded to the National Databased Registration Authority (Nadra) for scrutiny and transparent balloting, he said.
Regarding small industrial estates, Adil Siddiqui said that the government had allocated 50 acres of land in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Mitthi for small industries.
Referring to labour healthcare, the minister said that the government was establishing a 250-bed hospital in North Karachi industrial area at a cost of Rs 500 million.
Foundation stone of this hospital would be laid within the next few weeks, he said. Speaking on the occasion, S.M.Munir stressedf the need for early construction of water reservoirs in the province to meet water shortage. About textile sector problems, he said that textile sector was facing serious problems and needed immigrate attention of the government.
Munir said that mark-up rate were very high for textile sector, and pointed out that around 100 textile mills had already gone out of production in the country because of high mark-up rates.
Munir urged the government to take appropriate measures to save textile sector from collapse. City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said that the city government was revamping sewerage line and improving road network in Korangi industrial area Welcoming the guests, Kati Chairman Masood Naqi praised S.M.Munir's services for trade and industry, and said that he deserved this award.