LAHORE-Caretaker Provincial Industries and Commerce Minister SM Tanveer Tuesday inaugurated the office of Hafizabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Talking to media after addressing the inaugural ceremony, the minister said that under the leadership of the Punjab caretaker chief minister, the problems of industrialists and traders were being solved across the province. “The work of providing interest-free loans to industrialists and businessmen has been started for the promotion of the industry. The draft of the first skills policy of the province has been approved under which 500,000 youths would be trained every year,” he added. He added that master plans were being prepared for the provision of relief to the people and development and promotion of various sectors. “A mega master plan is also being prepared for the improvement of agriculture and industry sectors,” he mentioned.
SM Tanveer said that work was being done for the development of the agriculture sector. “Modern agricultural machinery, drones and other technologies are being procured. Steps are being taken for the promotion of agriculture, paying special attention to the Cholistan region of Punjab,” he added.
SM Tanveer said that steps were being taken for the profit of fish farming landlords. For the first time, the rate of cotton has been set at 8,500 per maund. Modern technology and satellite system are being used for the promotion and improvement of cotton crop and the water supply in the cotton producing areas.
A strict crackdown has also been started against the manufacturers of substandard and fake agricultural medicines so that the continuous hard work of our land farmers was not wasted due to the use of these fake pesticides. He said that canola was cultivated on 800,000 acres across Punjab. With the efforts of the caretaker government, its cultivation has increased and now 1.5 million acres of canola can be cultivated, which would also solve the problem of shortages of edible oil in the country. He said that the per maund price of wheat has already been increased and the production of wheat per acre would increase further.
The provincial minister said the Punjab government would provide skill to 500,000 youths every year, so that they would be able to earn employment in a dignified manner. For skill development, he added, three technology parks would be established across the province, while laboratories of technical education institutions would be equipped with latest machines. He congratulated all officials on the establishment of the office of Hafizabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He added that Hafizabad Chamber would help resolve the problems of the business community. Former Federal Minister Saira Afzal Tarar, Deputy Commissioner, President of Hafizabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chaudhry Muhammad Saleh Ranjha, Senior Vice President Shafqat Hussain Tarar, Vice President Abdul Jabbar Raza and other leaders were also present.