A team comprising of the officials of USAID and a US consultant on Friday visited Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) to seek the opinion of the industrialists regarding the construction of Reconstruction Opportunities Zones (ROZs) for the development of tribal and earthquake-hit areas of NWFP.
The US officials held meeting with President Sarhad Chamber, Ghazanfar Bilour. Those who attended the meeting were including senior vice president, Inayat Khan, Colonel Khizer Hayat (R), Zahidullah Shinwari, Adeel Rauf, Sharat Ali Mubarak, Haji Israr Saraf, Haji Aftab Iqbal, Amanullah Mohmand, Riaz Arshad and senior officials of SMEDA.
Speaking on the occasion, Ghazanfar Bilour said that the areas having all necessary requirements for the running of industrial units and infrastructure facilities should be given priority in connections with the establishment of the proposed ROZs in tribal and earthquake affected areas.
A proposal was also flouted in the meeting regarding the provision of interest free loans by the US to the interested industrialists, and investment of US investors and development of the ROZs through joint ventures between local and US businessmen.
The meeting also observed consistency in the maintenance of the incentives granted to the industrial units of the zones and should be established in areas free of effects of the inconsistency of the industrial policies of the government. The meeting also proposed that the industrial units of the zones should be granted subsidies in head of utility bills and transport fares. On this occasion, the US team presented a detail briefing on the concept of ROZs to the industrialists of the province.-PR