PTI fails to set up small industrial estates in KP

PESHAWAR: The PTI government has failed to bring about an economic revolution by setting up small industrial set-ups in the KP, contrary to claims of Imran Khan.

The government has failed to set up nine industrial estates as its basic goal in different cities. The government earmarked not a single penny for five industrial estates and Hattar has been made part of industrial zone.

The plan to set up small industries in Abbottabad and Dargai is hit by slow pace while cheap land is being searched for this purpose in Peshawar. MD Small Industry Development Board (SIDB) Rashid Khan told The News that SIDB is running small industrial estates well and nine projects are nearing completion.

According to government documents, the estimated cost for Dargai Malakand industrial estate is Rs452 million and it is supposed to start working in 2019. For Abbottabad industrial estate, 245 kanals of land was to be acquired by 2014, and its estimated cost was Rs453 million.

Rashid Khan said that for Abbottabad Industrial Estate-2, process for allotment of plots is on but the project is delayed. For Hattar industrial estate, 500 kanals of land was to be acquired in 2016 and its estimated cost was Rs470 million. Khan said that this project has been included in Industrial zone.

For Swat industrial estate, 240 kanals of land was to be acquired by 2016 and its estimated cost was Rs388 million. Khan said no progress other than land acquisition was made in this case.

For Sawabi small industrial estate, 300 kanals of land was to be acquired by April 2017, and its estimated cost was Rs450 million. Khan said no funds have been set aside for this project in the budget so there is no question of any progress. For Mardan industrial estate, Phase-4,300 kanals of land is to be acquired by 2018 and its estimated cost is Rs450 million. Khan said no funds have been set aside for this project so far.

For Peshawar small industrial estate-2, 600 kanals of land was to be acquired by June 2017 and its estimated cost is Rs1.2 billion but so far efforts are being made to locate cheap land for it. Khan said purchase of land will take place the moment it is located.

For Mansehra small estate, 500 kanals of land was to be acquired by April 2017, and its estimated cost was Rs750 million. Khan said no funds have been set aside for this project so no land has so far been acquired.

For Dir small industrial estate, 240 kanals of land was to be acquired by June 2017, and its estimated cost was Rs312 million. Rashid Khand said no land has been acquired for this project because no funds have so far been set aside for it.