The Chairman Task Force on Trade and Industry Punjab Mian Muhammad Riaz has disclosed that Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) had formulated a strategy for developing small and medium industries on modern and scientific lines in the Province.
Talking to Business Recorder here on Thursday he added that government had set aside Rs one billion for extending loan facility for the promotion of small and medium industries in the Punjab. The loan facility amounting to Rs 40 thousand was being extended for the promotion of cottage industries and the return of the loan was 98 percent in the Province Mian Riaz disclosed.
Mian Riaz further revealed that in order to further accelerate trade and commerce activities, cluster development centres and business support centres were also being established in major industrial towns of the Punjab. These business supports centres and cluster developments centres would provide training facility on latest machinery aimed at catering the future needs of the industrial sector he added. The task force revealed that an gro food processing zone costing Rs 35 crore was being developed for mango processing in Multan.
The revamping of Metal Industry Development Centre (MIDC) will cost more than Rs 51.556 million while establishment of Institute of Surgical Technology (IST) was being developed at cost of Rs 160.459 million he disclosed.
Mian Riaz was of the opinion that the role of Surgical institute would be pivotal in the provision of surgical nursery to the manufacturers and exporters of surgical instruments while MIDC will ensure provision of services in various fields and it will serve as a "Common Facility Centre". The work on both the projects would be undertaken shortly he added.
On government-to-government level and at individual level efforts were being made for acquiring highly qualified and trained instructors from Germany for imparting latest training to the students in Institute of Surgical Technology he disclosed.
This institute would impart training to 250 students in various fields of surgical manufacturing and it will be equipped with latest machinery and the institute will be the start of a new era in the development of surgical industry he said. Mian Riaz said that surgical industry was enjoying the monopolistic position globally and the surgical instruments are most economical and coupled with unconditional guarantee of the finest quality.
Mian Riaz disclosed that setting up of a "Raw Material Bank" was under active consideration of the government aimed at providing raw material to the surgical manufacturers and exporters on reasonable rates. It is high time business community Sialkot should made collective efforts for doubling the export-volume of the city he said.