Sindh’s first industrial policy to be prepared by October 30, meeting told

The caretaker Sindh government is going to finalise a policy by the end of the current month to prevent the misuse of industrial land and facilitate setting up of new economic zones in the province.

Noted economist Dr Kaiser Bengal, disclosed this on Thursday while briefing a meeting to review the ongoing work on Sindh’s first-ever industrial policy. The meeting was chaired by Sindh Caretaker Minister for Commerce, Industries and Revenue Muhammad Younus Dagha.

Dr Bengali, who has been associated with the Sindh industries department as a consultant, briefed the meeting that the work to draft the first provincial industrial policy had almost been completed and the final draft of the policy would be completed by October 30, 2023.

He informed the meeting that all the stakeholders had been consulted before drafting the policy to make it a comprehensive document for the promotion of the industrial sector in the province. Academics belonging to the Institute of Business Administration Karachi, Sukkur Institute of Business Administration and Shah Abdul Lateef Bhittai University Khairpur had also been consulted for finalising the policy.

The meeting was informed that the new policy was aimed at improving the conditions of existing industrial estates and constructing new industrial and economic zones to take full advantage of the economic potential of Sindh.

The caretaker industries minister expressed the hope that the new policy would be helpful in setting up new economic zones to promote the process of industrialisation in the province. He added that the policy would propose mechanisms for dealing with the issue of vacant industrial plots or industrial land being used for commercial and other unauthorised activities after tempering with the land record.

Dagha told the meeting that the policy would offer fresh incentives to prospective investors and businessmen to set up new industrial units in the province. The policy would also provide feasible mechanisms for establishing small industries in the province.

He disclosed on the occasion that work was in progress to digitise the record of industrial land in the province and for this purpose, the Punjab Information Technology Board had been providing assistance to relevant officials in Sindh.