Foundation of industrial revolution laid: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Industry Commerce and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal has said industrial sector carries vital importance in strengthening national economy, adding the government has laid foundation of industrial revolution by introducing a composite industrial policy.

However, the past rulers devastated the state institutions due to their wrong priorities and personal gains. Industrial sector was also ruined and such exhibitory projects were started by ignoring this vital sector of providing massive employments which are proving a white elephant, the minister said.

According to a handout issued here on Monday, during his meeting with a 10-member delegation of party workers at his office, the minister said the PTI government will fulfill its promises and achieve the set targets. Necessary steps have been taken to bring necessary improvement in the quality of life of the low income families, he added.

He said a mega programme for providing soft loans to the skilled but unemployed people is being launched and Rs 6 billion is allocated for this plan. Up to Rs 3 million as loan will be given to the skilled youths for starting their business on provision of a viable business plan, he said.

He said small and medium enterprise play an important role in the process of overall national development. Keeping this thing in view, a huge amount has been allocated for the establishment of new small industry and provision of financial assistance to the industrial sector. He said special steps have been taken to bring the backward areas at par with the developed localities of the province and the resources have been mobilised towards less developed areas to facilitate people. He said more facilities have been provided in different development schemes for the women of southern Punjab. The targets of new industrial policy will be achieved. Twelve lakh new employment opportunities will be created every year and five lakh human resources will be trained according to market needs, he added.

Focus on making country educated: Provincial Minister for Schools Education Murad Raas has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is working hard to achieve the goal of a prosperous, developed, educated and self-reliant Pakistan. He stated this while talking to a five-member delegation of party workers who called on him at his office here Monday.

Talking on the occasion, he said that promotion of quality education is imperative to reap the fruits of technological development of the 21st century. Investment on education sector is the best investment as it trains and develops the students as the future leaders. He said that the culture of research, development and innovations should be introduced in the schools to help broaden the intellectual ken of the budding minds. The students should be taught to start their business ventures so that they may not run after government jobs after completion of their education, he said. The schools education department has introduced different changes in teachers’ training manual so that they could best perform in the schools. He said that latest reforms introduced in Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board, Quaid-e-Azam Academy for Educational Development and other attached departments will help to introduce a positive change in the schools education system.

Meanwhile, work is in progress for training of head teachers on modern lines so that their teaching capacity is sufficiently enhanced. The SED will play an important role in achieving the targets of 100-day plan. The party workers should play their role in promoting positive social changes at the grassroots along with introduction of democratic norms so that a corruption-free and transparent democratic culture could prevail in the country, the minister concluded.