Mineral sector to be included in new industrial policy, says KP CM

NOWSHERA: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Friday announced to include mineral sector in the new industrial policy to put an end to the illegal mining in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He was addressing as chief guest at the inauguration ceremony of the ‘Quarry Machinery Pool’ established at the Marble City, Risalpur in Nowshera.

The Mineral Development Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) has provided the modern machinery to facilitate the marble and granite miners and industrialists.

The World Bank and Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) provided financial and technical assistance to the provincial government for setting up the machinery pool under Competitive Industries Project.

The World Band and MDFT will also assist in establishment of a training centre for the miners to equip mines employees with modern quarry techniques and use of the machinery.

Minister for Mineral Development and Labor, Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Industries, Abdul Karim Khan, president of KP Miners Association, Sher Bandi Khan, Chief Executive of Pakistan Stone Development Company, Zahid Sheikh and Secretary Industries, Aftab Akbar Durrani also spoke on the occasion. The District Nazim Nowshera, Liaqat Khattak, Member National Assembly Dr. Imran Khattak, MPA Farid Khan, Secretary Minerals, Dr. Ataur Rahman, representatives of World Bank, MDTF and a large number of industrialists and traders attended the function.

Pervez Khattak said the government had formulated a new mineral policy, adding a New Mining Act was also in the offing which would help implement the policy and check illegal mining.

He said that new industrial estates would be established in Hattar, Ghazi, Jalozai, Dera Ismail Khan and Nowshera. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government will pay five percent markup on loans from banks and pay 25 per cent of the expenses for acquiring land, machinery transportation expenditures and provide subsidized electricity to new industrial units to encourage industrialization.

Expressing satisfaction over making available the modern quarry machinery procured at a cost of $4 million dollars by KP government for marble and granite extraction, the chief minister said the incentives and facilities under new industrial policy would be extended to marble and granite sectors.  “The marble and granite industries would also be especially accommodated in the new industrial estates and export processing zones of the province,” he added. The chief minister said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was blessed with precious stones and other mineral reserves but deplored that successive governments made no efforts to explore these resources and utilise them for development of the province.