The garment cities of Lahore and Faisalabad would be made functional within a period of one year. This was disclosed by Minister for Textile Mushtaq Ali Cheema, while talking to newsmen. He said that the buildings equipped with every facility would be provided to industrialists in garment cities on lease basis.
They would just need to install machinery and start business there, he added. The main purpose is to make establishment of textile factory cheaper by saving major portion of investment in acquiring land and building. He said a skill development programme has also been launched for overcoming the shortage of adept workers in the textile industry. All textile factories have been declared as training institutes. Any unemployed youth can come and get training as machine operator in any factory.
The government is paying a sum of Rs 2,500 to each trainee as stipend coupled with pick and drop facility. Furthermore ensured job is offered to them after completion of their training. The programme is aimed at providing productive workers to country's textile industry enabling it to compete effectively, he concluded.