desan
President (40k+ posts)
PESHAWAR: The Sarhad Development Authority (SDA) has decided to take the federal government to the court for withdrawing incentive package for the Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Risalpur.
The decision was made during a recent meeting of the SDA Board of Directors with Chairman Azam Khan in the chair here. In the minutes of the meeting released to the media on Thursday, SDA said it had incurred more than Rs200 million to meet the developmental and non-developmental expenditure of EPZ, Risalpur keeping in with the incentives package made available in the zone by the federal government.
“Due to unilateral withdrawal of incentives by the federal government, the zone could not take off and thus, adversely affecting the industrial activities in the militancy-affected province. SDA will take the matter to the court against the adverse, unilateral decision of the federal government,” it said.
The meeting was held to re-establish SDA as a major player in attracting investment, facilitating prospective investors, diversifying its portfolios and field of action as a trendsetter in identifying and exploring new commercial an industrial avenues.The SDA board of directors decided to re-position and strengthen various wings of the authority and observed that the authority had restricted its activities to the development of industries and exploration of minerals, which was against the spirit of its Act, which envisaged the wide role for economic and industrial development of the province.
It observed that no commercial and economic activities had been carried out in the past though it fell in the ambit of SDA Act. The board decided to ensure transparency by making updated SDA expenses available on the internet and said the entire SDA data on the industrial plots, finance accounts, administration and development work would be computerised and made available to potential investors and civil society by the internet.
It also decided that a facility of the online receipt of complaints related to the industry would be made available. The board decided to make all feasibility reports available on the internet and provide industrialists and investors with a trouble-shooting and one-window coordination facility.
It vowed to play the role of a catalyst, facilitator and coordinator between private sector and government bodies, including FBR, utility departments, and provincial and federal ombudsmen.
The meeting was informed that the infrastructure of the existing industrial estates in the province were in deteriorated condition, which would be improved on war footing starting from Industrial Estate, Peshawar. The board decided to actively engage the Industrial Estate Management Committee to ensure transparency and oversee and monitor the developmental works and clearance of financial bills.
According to it, the SDA in collaboration with the private sector will explore and initiate measures on commercial lines, including commencement of internship programmes for youths on its premises in industry and business-related fields, construction of indoor sports complex at Hayatabad to create recreational opportunity to youth, look for ways to utilise the wastes and garbage of Peshawar to generate energy and its onward supply, establishment of health city of International standards, establishment of an education city to provide education of international standard at one location, look for possibilities to make the Ski Resort functional at Malam Jabba in collaboration with public-private partnership and look into prospects of utilising the existing railway track for public transportation.
Also, it will initiate measures to promote handicrafts industry of the province and its products.
The board decided to rent a building in Islamabad to showcase and market the handicrafts of the province directly and without middleman to protect the interests of small manufacturers. It also said SDA would look into the prospects of establishing gemstones village and carpet industry village and play a role of helping producers of many goods in terms of value addition to their products, marketing products by establishing a trade expo centre in Peshawar.
The board also decided to help the movie industry of the province by making video, film, and audio quality facilities available to the growing local film and CD producers and said that would also help enhance the soft image of the province in the long way.
The board decided to capitalise on the hydel generation potential of the province by holding feasibility on establishing new industrial estates adjacent to the power generation sites.
According to it, the SAD will look into the possibility of laying its own transmission line from hydel power stations to industrial estate as a pilot project in collaboration with the private sector to provide cheaper electricity to industries to enable them to compete with industries in other provinces.
The board also decided to have a close collaboration between the SDA and the newly established Board of Investment to attract investment and facilitate prospective investors.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1044202/kp-uplift-body-to-sue-centre
The decision was made during a recent meeting of the SDA Board of Directors with Chairman Azam Khan in the chair here. In the minutes of the meeting released to the media on Thursday, SDA said it had incurred more than Rs200 million to meet the developmental and non-developmental expenditure of EPZ, Risalpur keeping in with the incentives package made available in the zone by the federal government.
“Due to unilateral withdrawal of incentives by the federal government, the zone could not take off and thus, adversely affecting the industrial activities in the militancy-affected province. SDA will take the matter to the court against the adverse, unilateral decision of the federal government,” it said.
The meeting was held to re-establish SDA as a major player in attracting investment, facilitating prospective investors, diversifying its portfolios and field of action as a trendsetter in identifying and exploring new commercial an industrial avenues.The SDA board of directors decided to re-position and strengthen various wings of the authority and observed that the authority had restricted its activities to the development of industries and exploration of minerals, which was against the spirit of its Act, which envisaged the wide role for economic and industrial development of the province.
It observed that no commercial and economic activities had been carried out in the past though it fell in the ambit of SDA Act. The board decided to ensure transparency by making updated SDA expenses available on the internet and said the entire SDA data on the industrial plots, finance accounts, administration and development work would be computerised and made available to potential investors and civil society by the internet.
It also decided that a facility of the online receipt of complaints related to the industry would be made available. The board decided to make all feasibility reports available on the internet and provide industrialists and investors with a trouble-shooting and one-window coordination facility.
It vowed to play the role of a catalyst, facilitator and coordinator between private sector and government bodies, including FBR, utility departments, and provincial and federal ombudsmen.
The meeting was informed that the infrastructure of the existing industrial estates in the province were in deteriorated condition, which would be improved on war footing starting from Industrial Estate, Peshawar. The board decided to actively engage the Industrial Estate Management Committee to ensure transparency and oversee and monitor the developmental works and clearance of financial bills.
According to it, the SDA in collaboration with the private sector will explore and initiate measures on commercial lines, including commencement of internship programmes for youths on its premises in industry and business-related fields, construction of indoor sports complex at Hayatabad to create recreational opportunity to youth, look for ways to utilise the wastes and garbage of Peshawar to generate energy and its onward supply, establishment of health city of International standards, establishment of an education city to provide education of international standard at one location, look for possibilities to make the Ski Resort functional at Malam Jabba in collaboration with public-private partnership and look into prospects of utilising the existing railway track for public transportation.
Also, it will initiate measures to promote handicrafts industry of the province and its products.
The board decided to rent a building in Islamabad to showcase and market the handicrafts of the province directly and without middleman to protect the interests of small manufacturers. It also said SDA would look into the prospects of establishing gemstones village and carpet industry village and play a role of helping producers of many goods in terms of value addition to their products, marketing products by establishing a trade expo centre in Peshawar.
The board also decided to help the movie industry of the province by making video, film, and audio quality facilities available to the growing local film and CD producers and said that would also help enhance the soft image of the province in the long way.
The board decided to capitalise on the hydel generation potential of the province by holding feasibility on establishing new industrial estates adjacent to the power generation sites.
According to it, the SAD will look into the possibility of laying its own transmission line from hydel power stations to industrial estate as a pilot project in collaboration with the private sector to provide cheaper electricity to industries to enable them to compete with industries in other provinces.
The board also decided to have a close collaboration between the SDA and the newly established Board of Investment to attract investment and facilitate prospective investors.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1044202/kp-uplift-body-to-sue-centre
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