FCCI chief for enhancement of gas quota

Industry has heaved a sigh of relief over much delayed enhancement of gas quota from 25 percent to 33 percent in middle of the hot summer season. "It is a good decision but we will not appreciate it as it clearly indicates that industry remained almost deprived of this basic utility not only during winter but also in summer when the domestic use of gas falls to minimum, said Engr Rizwan Ashraf President FCCI.
He said that only life saving gas quota of 25 percent was given particularly to the textile processing units in Faisalabad regions with complaints of low pressure during long spell of winter. He underlined the importance of textile sector and said that it was the only mainstay of national economy. Out of our total exports of 26 billion dollars, the share of textile is around fifty percent and out of 13 billion dollars earned by textile sector approximately 50 percent is contributed by Faisalabad alone.
Continuing, he said that despite of this step motherly treatment, the government has once again pinned hopes with it by enhancing targets of textile exports to almost double. But how it could be achieved without gas and electricity with its exceptionally high rates? He pointed out that government is ruthlessly adding burden on industry and very recently it has levied Gas Infra Structure Development Charges (GIDC). He said that it would make our exports uncompetitive in international markets, adding that government policies have contributed in increasing cost of doing business which will discourage industrial expansion and thus fewer jobs would be created by the private sector precipitating unemployment in the country. He said that unemployment in return will create political unrest and it may become uncontrollable if immediate remedial steps were not taken. He also quoted alarming figures that during last year gas was provided only 145 days to the local industry which also remained deficient of electricity. He said that only energy crisis will have calculated decline of 2 percent in GDP and warned the government to realise the gravity of the situation and take serious steps to provide electricity and gas to the industrial sector without enhancing its rates etc.