"Punjab Government has submitted a case to Nepra for supply of the electricity to industry on cheaper rates and it is hoped that entrepreneurs of Punjab would soon listen a good news. CPEC is a game changer project and we would have to avail this opportunity wisely," said Punjab Secretary for Industries, Commerce & Investment Khalid Sherdil while addressing the executive committee of Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI) chaired by Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi.
He said the provincial government was planning to introduce a CPEC policy soon for streamlining its activities and it was forming a working group in this regard. Sherdil said a big seminar was being organised in Lahore on November 18 to explain about the CPEC project, adding the government was also considering to have an institutional framework to execute the $46 billion CPEC under a long term plan till 2030.
He said Punjab government had declared three economic zones in the province and a concessional package would be announced for the industrial estates of Rahim Yar Khan and Bahawalpur. He suggested that investors should get plots in Industrial Estates immediately otherwise they would have to purchase plots on higher rates there. He said with $46 billion to be invested under the CPEC initiative in Pakistan, road, infrastructure and energy projects had already been in the active implementation phase while the industries sector was being collaborated.
The government was working on one window which would enhance business activities, Sherdil said, adding three industrial estates of Punjab had been declared special economic zones. He said Chunian was also proposed to be the next industrial estate which would be good location for the CPEC promotion. He said there was no cluster of big industries in Multan thus there was a demand for the cluster of small & medium industry in Multan.
Chairman of Punjab Industrial Estate Development & Management Company Rizwan Khalid Butt said that working capital was shifted to other countries after every 10 years due to environmental requirements, high cost of production etc. "Now people are moving towards our land for investment. We should avail this golden chance by providing congenial atmosphere, peace and tranquillity."
In his welcome address MCCI President Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi said Southern Punjab was infested with deprivations and we should take measures to attract the foreign investors to end joblessness and poverty. He said that majority of the people were the poor who were living below the poverty rate. He said CPEC was a long-term systematic project and was gradually entering the phase of full implementation.
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