Training locals: Gwadar Port Authority to set up training centre

Working endlessly to uplift area and improve social development

ISLAMABAD: Gwadar Port Authority Board (GPA) has planned to start building a vocational training institute (VTI) in its free zone in a bid to impart port and free zone-related training to local people.

The construction of this institute is scheduled to begin during this year with a grant to be provided by the Chinese government.

GPA has so far spent Rs1 million on the project and this excludes the amount spent by the Chinese company and government.

Sources at the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, while highlighting steps taken to develop the unprivileged areas of Gwadar, on Friday said GPA has set up a social sector development fund and was spending millions of rupees on different social sector programmes.

In addition, they said GPA was also encouraging investors to provide grants to poor schools and health institutions for medicines.

The sources said despite the fact that currently there is not much port operations at Gwadar Port and a small revenue is earned, hopefully it will increase in future.

“GPA adopted a primary school in one of the poorest localities of Gwadar, renovated the school building and provided clean drinking water facility.”

Additionally the GPA was also providing three scholarships to high-achieving students of primary, middle and matric examinations studying in government schools in the Gwadar District annually.

The sources added that due to GPA information technology (IT) literacy was being promoted in the poor localities and so far it has provided three computers to IT centers functioning in such areas.

Moreover, the sources said GPA has also provided books to exceptional students from low-income families and added with that with the efforts of GPA and the Ministry of Ports and Shipping, the Chinese government was providing solar electric systems, LED bulbs, tube lights and Solar Power Generation systems) to poor families in Gwadar.

The total amount of this grant is about Rs320 million. These goods are scheduled to arrive in Gwadar in March/April 2016, the sources added.

They also said that the port operator, China Overseas Port Holding Company, has donated three school buses as part of their social sector responsibility through GPA to the education department, Gwadar.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2016.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.