SIDB tasked with removing obstacles to industrialisation

PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Industries, Commerce and Technical Education, Abdul Karim Khan, has tasked the Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) with increasing economic activities by removing obstacles to industrialization.

“The board should take action against those elements responsible for creating hurdles for the real investors and industrialists in the province,” said the special assistant who is the SIDB chairman as well.

According to a press release, he said the SIDB should improve the living standard of the people in the province. It has been noticed that the real estate mafia has purchased multiple plots in industrial estates for minting money.

Instead of setting up operationalizing the industry, they are making money by selling these plots at higher rates, and real investors find it difficult to purchase plots.

Many of them are still waiting for selling plots instead of establishing industrial units at the industrial estates.

Therefore, the SIDB administration is going to take action against those plot holders who are not interested in initiating construction on the industrial plots where the process of providing basic facilities is in full swing.

The SIDB initiated action with the help of local administration at the Khalabat and Haripur small industrial estates against six illegal occupants who had occupied several plots by constructing boundary walls around them without any industrial activity. Heavy machinery was used and boundary walls were demolished and possession of such plots was taken.

SIDB Director-General Syed Zaffar Ali Shah said the board has decided to take action against the defaulters who have not paid dues for long and those who do not start construction on the industrial plots within the stipulated period of time along with the owners of closed factories.

He said businessmen are being given a chance to operationalize their closed units so that industrial activity may be started and employment opportunities created.

Syed Zaffar Ali Shah said the SIDB is considering the revival of the sick units and bringing them into a mainstream industrial activity.