Auction of 548 cancelled plots approved

LAHORE:Punjab government Wednesday approved the auction schedule of 548 cancelled plots in Punjab Small Industrial Estates across the province.

The approval was given in the 130th meeting of the board of Punjab Small Industries Corporation and was presided over by Provincial Minister for Industries and Commerce Chaudhry Shafay Hussain.

A 13-point agenda was considered in the meeting held at PSIC House. Secretary Industries and Commerce Muhammad Umar Masood, MD PSIC Sara Masood and board members attended the meeting. The board approved the schedule for the meeting also approved the Board of Management of Small Industrial Estate Kasur.

The board also approved enhancing the internship fee from Rs 30,000 to Rs 60,000 per month under the PSIC internship programme and establishing a regional office of Punjab Small Industries Corporation in Gujrat.

The board provided an opportunity for personal hearing on the departmental appeal of former Director Punjab Small Industries Corporation Tariq Mahmood and the former director put his position before the board, on which the board formed a committee headed by Special Secretary Industries and Commerce to review the appeal of former Director PSIC Tariq Mahmood.

The board will take further action in the light of the recommendations of the board deferred some agenda items for further consideration. The meeting also reviewed the draft of the land lease agreement for the new small industrial estates.

Addressing the meeting, Ch Shafay said the property business that had been going on in the industrial estates for years has been ended and now only industrial units are being built on the plots acquired in the industrial estates.

The minister said whoever does not build an industrial unit according to the policy will have his plot canceled. Ch Shafsy said 100 percent colonisation of industrial estates in Punjab is the government’s policy. If factories are set up, employment opportunities will also increase. He said industrial infrastructure will be further improved in 23 small industrial estates across Punjab. The provincial minister said the problems of industrialists are being resolved on priority basis.