Four industrial schemes worth Rs 29.5m in the pipeline

By Noshad Ali

LAHORE: The Punjab government plans to start and complete four industrial schemes worth Rs 29.5 million in the next fiscal year, sources told Daily Times on Tuesday. The funds are to be provided through the Annual Development Programme.

However, the schemes are yet to be approved.

The first scheme, Data Collection of Industrial Units in the Punjab, is to cost Rs 10 million and should be complete by June 2005. The scheme is to be implemented by the Industries, Commerce and Investment Department Directorate.

The other three schemes are to be launched by the Punjab Small industries Department (PSIC). The Support to Small and Medium Enterprises Sector for Industrial Cluster Development scheme will be launched in the next financial year at a total cost of Rs 14 million. The United Nation Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) will contribute Rs 3 million, the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) Rs 1 million and the Punjab government Rs 10 million.

The other two schemes, the Census of Small and Household Manufacturing Units in Urban Areas and Service Centres/Business Incubators in Gujranwala and Faisalabad, will cost Rs 6 million and Rs 5 million respectively.

The Industries Department has already started two schemes - Wood Seasoning Facility Centre (WSFC) in Chiniot and the Purchase of Moderation Machinery for Government Printing Press in Bahawalpur - and is to complete them by the end of the next fiscal year and contain an allocation of Rs 11.12 million in the 2004-05 budget.

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