Uplift projects must benefit people: Imran
PHOTO: RP
Prime Minister Imran Khan called on Thursday for designing every national project in accordance with the benefits for the people, saying that the country had not benefited much from the construction of motorways in the past.
Addressing the ground-breaking ceremony of the Sambrial-Kharian Motorway, Imran stressed that the public-private-partnership mode would help save development funds, which would be spent on other public welfare projects.
The prime minister emphasised that industrialisation as well as promotion of tourism were inevitable to repay debts through boosting exports and wealth creation. He stressed that tourism could fill the dollar gap until the country’s exports reached the desired level.
“Every project must be designed in accordance with its benefits for the people,” Imran told the ceremony also attended by Communications Minister Murad Saeed, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, National Highway Authority Chairman Capt (retd) Khurram Agha and others.
“The country can generate huge revenue through prudent policies like promotion of tourism,” the prime minister continued. “The tourism can fill the dollar gap until country’s exports reached the desired level,” Prime Minister Imran added.
Earlier, Imran unveiled the plaque to break ground for 69-kilometer motorway. The Rs32 billion project would generate 4,300 jobs and cater to around 23,000 vehicles per day. In his speech, the prime minister appreciated the saving of Rs 12 billion or 26% of project cost through negotiation.
Imran said that the motorway project would facilitate the industrial triangle of Gujranwala, Wazirabad and Sialkot which was also a densely-populated region. “The area has immense potential for industrialisation, so it is direly needed to incentivise the industrial sector to boost exports,” he said.
He reiterated his government’s commitment to facilitate the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector by easing the approval processes. He said that the SMEs were the backbone of the national economy but unfortunately, they had to face impediments in their approval processes.
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He also assured the NHA of his support in swift approval of public-private partnership projects. He appreciated the communications minister and the NHA for executing numerous projects within record time, “even more than those who used to beg for votes while claiming credit of the roads construction”.
Separately, Prime Minister Imran chaired a meeting on Thursday to discuss enhancement of investment in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and directed the authorities concerned to launch a one-window portal for the local and the foreign investors.
Imran also called for consultation and coordination among all stakeholders regarding the portal. “The government is actively working to remove all impediments, faced by the local and foreign investors in order to achieve industrial growth,” Imran said.
The meeting was informed that the one-window portal was being developed by the Board of Investment to address the difficulties faced by the investors. The portal would not only assist in obtaining the administrative and legal approvals but also help provide facilities to the industrial sector.
Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday said that the filling of Tarbela Dam to its maximum level despite unvafourable weather conditions this year, was a good omen for agriculture and hydel power generation. “Alhamdulillah, Tarbela Dam filled to its max level yesterday despite unfavourable weather conditions this year. This is a good omen for agriculture & hydel generation,” the prime minister said on Twitter. He also appreciated the teams at Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for improved water regulation.
(WITH INPUT FROM APP)