Punjab Govt decides working group to solve textile industry's problems
Business
Shortage of gas applied only to mills in Punjab, difference in energy rates forcing closure of units, Hamid Zaman
LAHORE (Dunya News) - The Punjab government has decided to form a working group to solve the problems of the textile industry in the province.
Secretary Industries, Commerce, Investment and Skills Development, Punjab, Lt. (R) Sohail Ashraf, during a visit to the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Lahore office, said that the working group will include officers of the Punjab government and nominees of APTMA, Duniya News has reported.
Chairman APTMA North Zone Hamid Zaman, Senior Vice Chairman Karaman Arshad, Vice Chairman Asad Shafi, Secretary General APTMA Raza Baqir and senior members of the Association, Additional Secretary Zohaib Mushtaq, Senior Economic Advisor Javed Iqbal Malik, Deputy Secretary Abu Bakr Zubair, CEO PIEDMC Ali Moazzam Syed, Director Abu Bakr Suleman and others were also present on the occasion.
Chairman APTMA North Zone Hamid Zaman apprised the provincial secretary about the problems being faced by the textile industry in Punjab and said that 50 percent of last year s gas consumption was being provided to the Punjab industry against the approved load of 350 mmcfd.
He regretted that the shortage of gas was being applied only to mills in Punjab and the difference in energy rates was forcing the closure of units in Punjab.
Chairman APTMA has also requested for extension of TERF-like facility in Punjab to facilitate investment for setting up of 100 sewing units in the province. He suggested that the Punjab government should provide concessional loan facilities to SMEs and start-ups from the Punjab Employment Scheme. Establishment of world class sewing training center is also the need of the hour.
Hamid Zaman further called for an ordinance for exemption of surcharge on voluntary payment of PESSI arrears. He said that the Punjab government should also implement the conventions related to labor, share the statistics of labor unions, train textile workers in compliance with GSP Plus conventions through TEVTA.
Secretary Industries said that establishment of Integrated Textile and Apparel Parks and Textile Cities, development of Quaid-e-Azam Apparel Park, representation of APTMA in the boards of industrial estates and soft loans/schemes for Punjab industry for restoration of closed units were included. Will leave no stone unturned to support smooth performance of all industrial units to maintain the pace of increase in exports, he assured to take up energy issues with the concerned quarters while providing export-friendly environment in the province.
Kamran Arshad, Senior Vice Chairman, APTMA North Zone thanked the Provincial Secretary in particular and the provincial and federal governments in general for taking bold steps to solve the problems faced by the industrialists and hoped that the continuous support of the government would help the industrialists in the development of industries. He also expressed his commitment to promote industrial activities and exports in the country.
