Provincial Minister for Mines and Minerals Ch Sher Ali Khan has said that Punjab government, under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is fully committed to develop its metallic and industrial mineral resources as Punjab is blessed with abundant natural resources along with vast mineral potential.
With the view to attract huge foreign investment in mining sector, capacity building and reshape institutional regulatory and business mode, Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has decided infrastructural development in mining sector ensuring safety, health and welfare of mine workers.
He stated this while addressing a consultative workshop held here on Thursday for restructuring of the department.
Minister said that Punjab has the world's largest rock salt deposits, 35 minerals are under excavation including coal, lime stone, gypsum by 2300 entrepreneurs while 56 industrial leases under large corporations and multinationals for industrial production of cement, soda ash, caustic soda, fertilisers, glass, ceramics and marble.
He said that the purpose of the workshop was to get valuable proposals from all the stakeholders for institutional restructuring process, strengthening its legal and regulatory framework, promoting marketing of minerals and investment-friendly culture.
Minister further said that CM has desired to promote vast investment in mining sector. The idea behind restructuring is to prepare and present a holistic plan for smooth transition from the current department mode to the company and authority mode in the mines and mineral Sector with a view to give it a modern, market and investment friendly along with research and development oriented outlook.
Recommendations were shared in the workshop for readjustment and reorientation of technical and non-technical human resource with a special focus on capacity building and maximising output, ensure reinforcing vertical and horizontal linkage within the sectors and allied sectors with a view to attract foreign investment in mineral extraction and development along with improving and modernising mining practices.
The participants proposed actionable mechanism to strengthen regulatory framework for curbing monopolistic tendencies, lease management and ensuring healthy and safe mining environment including miners' welfare.
Secretary Mines and Minerals Dr Arshad Mahmood while addressing the workshop said that capacity based HR augmentation is the need of the hour and after exploration of iron and copper ore worth trillion of rupees from Chiniot Rajwa reservoirs and extraction of coal to make coal power plants functional to meet the present energy crisis in Punjab, modernisation of mining sector has become need of the hour.
He said that Punjab government has started exploration of mines from South Punjab areas and Punjab Energy Holding Company has also been established to promote mining business
ACS Energy Jahanzeb Khan said that minerals are our prestigious assets and Punjab government is utilising all resources to modernise its mining system to enhance investment in this sector in view of economic growth. Additional Chief Secretary Energy Jahanzeb Khan, MPA Nazar Hussain Gondal, Secretary Mines and Mineral Dr Arshad Mahmood, Chairman Pakistan Mines Owner's Association Dr M Khalid Pervaiz, Chairman Geographical Engineering Department Dr Muhammad Zubair attended the workshop and gave their suggestions in this regard.
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