Special bazaars to promote industries, employment

CM says similarly-designed kiosks will be established to do away with handcarts


Our Correspondent July 19, 2019
PHOTO: APP

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to establish special bazaars in different cities to promote local produce and support indigenous industries, apart from providing employment opportunities for the youth.

Presiding over a meeting of the provincial Industries Department on Thursday, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar directed officials concerned to establish special bazaars in various cities across Punjab. He instructed that similarly-designed kiosks would be set up in special bazaars with an aim to do away with handcarts. He said the playlands would also be established in these markets for children visiting with their families.

The chief minister highlighted that the new industrial policy would prove to be a game-changing initiative to promote industries. He added employment opportunities would be available to more than 1.5 million skilled workers within the next few years. The CM said that the establishment of special economic zones would also help promote the local industry.

Ditch the malls; The bazaars are where the fun is at

Buzdar told the meeting that a new technical syllabus was being introduced along with the pattern of German and Swedish models. “Every student will be given an opportunity of online training in different industries after completing technical education,” he added.

Buzdar said that the establishment of industrial estates in Wazirabad and Gujranwala would help to provide more employment opportunities to local workers. “A Punjab business registration portal has been setup to facilitate the traders’ community,” he shared.

Meanwhile, chairing a separate meeting of the Agriculture Department, Buzdar said that farmers would be educated about the latest innovations in this sector. He termed the Agri-Credit Cards Scheme as an innovative step of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. “Farmers will directly be paid the price of wheat, sugarcane, and other crops. They will also be provided agri services on subsidised rates.”

He said that high-value crop culture would be introduced in villages. Farmers, Buzdar said, would prosper due to the cultivation of profitable crops. He said that the cultivation of olive trees would be encouraged in the hilly areas of Dera Ghazi Khan. “The youth will also gain employment through youth internships and the farmers will get good crops,” he added.

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The CM continued that farmers could make decent earnings through floriculture, while foreign exchange can be earned by increasing the production of honey. Buzdar said that medicinal crops will not only promote the local pharmaceutical industry, but a foreign exchange will also be earned.

“The farmers are given necessary protection through the launch of insurance policies and the steps taken by the PTI government are proving meaningful,” he added.

Both meetings were attended by the Principal Secretary to CM, secretaries of the relevant provincial departments and senior officials.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19th, 2019.

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