CM orders expediting development of four industrial areas

Rs1b released for North Karachi, Federal B Area, Korangi and Landhi industrial estates

KARACHI: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has directed the industries department to start reconstruction of infrastructure of four different industrial areas in the city within 20 days for which the government has released around Rs1 billion.

The CM issued the directive while presiding over a meeting of the office-bearers of four different industrial areas of the city at CM House on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Industries and Commerce Minister Manzoor Wassan, Planning and Development Board Chairperson Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput and Industries Secretary Raheem Soomro  along with many industrialists including  chief executive officers of management companies of North Karachi Industrial Trading Estate (NITE), Federal B Area Industrial Trading Estate (FITE), Landhi Industrial Trading Estate (LITE) and Korangi Industrial Trading Estate (KITE).

The CM claimed that during the last financial year he released Rs100 million to the Sindh Industrial Infrastructure Development Board (SIIDB) for the infrastructure of the four industrial areas, NITE, FITE, LITE and KITE. "The work could not be started for one reason or another," he said, adding that the purpose behind issuing funds to the SIIDB was to develop infrastructure within the shortest possible time but the board could not do it.



The estimated cost for the development of NITE's infrastructure is Rs573.41 million, while the cost for the development of FITE has been estimated at Rs380 million. Similarly Rs274.89 million and Rs530 million have been estimated for KITE and LITE respectively. The sum of these figures is around Rs1.76 billion against which the provincial government initially released Rs100 million. Another tranche of Rs829.64 million was released in September.

The CM constituted a committee under the Karachi commissioner to monitor the quality and pace of work and keep the accounts audited regularly. The others members of the committee included representatives from planning and development, finance and industries departments, and concerned deputy commissioners.