80 percent amount collected to be spent on respective industrial zone: minister

The Industries Department of Sindh has decided that 80 percent collection of dues from industrial areas would be used on development of respective industrial zone, Minister for Industries and Commerce Sindh M A Rauf Siddiqui told business community.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of 'Voice of Industry' of Site Association of Industry (SAI) on Tuesday evening, he said that foreign investors are taking keen interest to invest in the province in general and Karachi in particular to establish industrial units.
He said that Saudi investors have contacted him for establishing units and making investment in different areas. Referring to industrial units established on sewerage drains, he said that these units were established in the tenure of previous governments, and added that removing these units has become almost impossible.
He assured industrialists that the government would provide them all faculties to keep their units operative with peace of mind. He said that the provincial government has provided Rs 250 million each for infrastructure development of four industrial zones of the city including Federal B Area, Korangi, North Karachi and Landhi, while federal government had also assured to provide matched grant, which has not been disbursed so for.
He expressed hope that President Asif Ali Zardari will soon direct the concerned authorities to disburse the allocation amount of Rs 250 million each for four industrial zones. He also assured industrialists that he would not tolerate harassment of industrialists by inspectors of various departments. Industrialists are carrying out production activities in a very difficult time. Earlier, Chairman of SAI, Saleem Parekh, briefed the minister about industrialists' problems in operating their units.