Sindh Minister for Industries Adil Siddiqui has informed the business community that the government is considering to allocate 50 acres of land for development of bangle industry in Hyderabad. Addressing a meeting held in Federation House, Karachi, organised by FPCCI Committee of Women Entrepreneurs on Tuesday, he said that beside this the government has also allocated land for women entrepreneurs in Nooriabad industrial estate.
Regarding allotment of land for cottage industry in Karachi, he said that the government allocated 300 acres of land for Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) out of which 30 acres of land would be allocated for cottage industry for women.
Giving details of plots for cottage industry for women, he said that there are two categories of plots. In category (A) there are 104 plots of 500 sq. yards and in the other category there are 75 plots of 250 sq. yards. Besides this, 40 shops and showrooms will be allotted to the deserving women.
Adil Siddiqui said that this cottage industrial estate would have all modern facilities, including telephone exchange, ambulance service, hospital etc.
He said that a nine-member committee has been established headed by Mrs Shamim Kazmi and comprising three government officials and five other ladies. This committee would scrutinise the applications for the plots.
The minister said that the government has imposed a condition that all allottees have to establish units within the specified period otherwise the allotment would stand cancelled.
The minister expressed his dissatisfaction over the working of our commercial counsellors abroad and added that 'they are doing nothing to promote Pakistan products.' He said that he has discussed the issue of positing of commercial counsellors at Pakistan embassies abroad with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahmud Kasuri. He said: "All the commercial counsellors must get at least six-month training to promote Pak products."
Speaking on the occasion Sindh Minister for Women Development Dr Saeeda Malik said that a display centre has been established in her department to display goods manufactured by women entrepreneurs.
She said that a resource centre has also been developed in her department, which would provide raw material to the women entrepreneurs, purchase their finished goods and exhibit them within the country and thus eliminate middleman.
President First Women Bank Zarin Aziz said that the bank had granted Rs 8.3 billion loans out of which Rs 8 billion had been given to women entrepreneurs.
She advised women to contact the bank for assistance in getting loan or establishing a business or enhancing business activities.
She said: "The bank is providing micro-credit loans without collateral to women entrepreneurs, who had three to five years' experience.
Fatima Surraya Bajya, a well-known writer, advised women to start business with small capital and then grow it slowly.
Famous actress Samina Pirzada called for preservation and development of traditional arts and craft of the country and save them from extinction. Welcoming the guests, President FPCCI Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed said that the ministry of commerce has given permission for establishment of Women Chambers on provincial basis in Punjab and Sindh. Women chambers would also be established in Balochistan and NWFP soon, he added.
He said informed the businesswomen that the US ambassador during a recent meeting has assured him to re-start women skill development programme under US Aid.