ISLAMABAD - Minister for Industries and Production Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani informed the National Assembly (NA) that Rs 9,988,339 were incurred on official delegations sent abroad in a bid to boost countrys industries, since March 2008 to till date. As many as 26 official delegations were sent to Morocco, Turkey, Austria, Yemen, Iran, Germany, Malaysia, Kuwait, UAE, China, Singapore, Japan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka during this time period, said the Minister in a written reply, during the question-answer session. Interestingly, replying to another question about sick industrial units, the Minister said that currently there were 1,909 sick industrial units in the country. As many as 480 sick industrial units in Punjab, 779 in Sindh, 568 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 82 in Balochistan, said the Minister in a written reply. Replying to another question, the Minster for Industries and Production said that 651 industrial units had been closed down during 2009-10 in the country. He said that 651 industrial units including 70 in Punjab, 260 Sindh, 307 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 14 in Balochistan. The reasons for closure were financial, management and marketing problems, energy crisis, lack of entrepreneurial skills, law and order situation, partnership dispute, outstanding liabilities of commercial banks and on going recession. To another question, the Minister said that there were sufficient stock of sugar available in the country and there was no chance of further increase in sugar prices. In a written reply to a question, he said that it had been decided to keep seven hundred thousand metric tons strategic stock of sugar to ensure its smooth supply in the market. Replying to another question he said that 972 new industrial units had been set up in four provinces during the last three years, however 531 units were shut down during 2008-09 due to financial crunch and other reasons.