President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Mansoor Ahmed has said that there was dire need of setting up training institutions in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country. Timely support of the government will help in producing the skilled and trained workforce for the local industry because at present the business community was confronting with the acute shortage of skilled force.
In order to protect the industrial sector government should establish training institution for producing skilled workforce and to cope with the burning issue of shortage of skilled work force, he said. While talking to Business Recorder on Tuesday he underscored the need of setting up organised mini industrial estates for accommodating SMEs and vendors.
These mini industrial areas should be developed in outskirts of Sialkot for providing employment opportunities to industrial workers to their doorstep he said. The SCCI president further stated that vending industry is an integral part of export industry and this sector should be accommodate in propose mini estates for ensuring all facilities under one roof.
He pointed out that there is only one small industrial estate in Sialkot and there is clear industrial need for setting up well planned mini industrial estates with necessary infrastructure to cater the need of small, medium and micro level industry of Sialkot.
He said SCCI had already established Women Resource Centre for extending necessary support and guidance to the interested females for setting their independent business.
Mansoor said that we are focusing on reducing the production cost of products and obtaining modern technology for the purpose adding that more common facility centres would be established with the active support of Commerce Ministry and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to facilitate the SMEs of the area.
He further said that business community of Sialkot was playing a pivotal role not only in strengthening the national exchequer but also in providing employment opportunities to thousands workers.
At present the exporters of the area were working with international brands while a large number of businessmen working with regional brands, he said. Mansoor said that 99 percent products produced in Sialkot were exported to different countries and the quality and standard of these products can compete with any international brands in the world market. Mansoor said Sialkot is contributing US two billion dollars annually to the national exchequer through its exports. We are making adequate efforts for modernising industrial sector of the area to compete international markets effectively, he said.