ISLAMABAD - Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin on Thursday invited the German enterprises for making investment in Pakistan in the fields of health, education, agriculture and power sector.
He assured all possible support and facilitation in improving the trade and economic relations between the countries. Bernhard Schlagheck, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, called on Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin at the Finance Division. SAPM on Finance and Revenue Dr. Waqar Masood was also present during in the meeting.
While extending a warm welcome to the ambassador, the finance minister stated that Pakistan and Germany enjoy close, amicable and multidimensional relations over the years. Both countries are keen to further strengthen business and economic linkages as well as people-to-people contacts between the two countries, he added.
The ambassador congratulated the finance minister on presenting a growth-oriented and business friendly federal budget 2021-22 after taking all stakeholders on board. 
In his remarks, the finance minister apprised that government is firmly committed to putting the country on a trajectory of all-inclusive and sustainable economic growth. To attain this, the government has revived the long-term planning process under the umbrella of Economic Advisory Council (EAC). The EAC will formulate short, medium and long term plans to spur growth in key priority areas. The focus will be on reducing poverty, he stressed. 
The government also stands committed to revive the business and industry that has been hit hard amid COVID-19. The ultimate focus of the government is employment generation, efficient resource mobilization and industrial growth, he added.
Finance minister further underlined that the government is vigorously pursuing pro-people agenda to promote economic empowerment of the under-privileged women through Ehsaas safety net. Ehsaas provides direct cash support for socio-economic uplift and financial inclusion of women from marginalized sections of the society. The government will also offer loans to young entrepreneurs for self-employment schemes under Kamyab Pakistan Program which will be launched soon. It will also extend credit facility to young farmers to promote youth engagement and to boost agricultural productivity. This will usher in a new era of agro-based industrial progress in the country, he added.
TARIN, CHEEMA DISCUSS OVERALL SITUATION 
REGARDING AVAILABILITY OF ESSENTIAL FOOD ITEMS
In other development, Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin has held a meeting with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Food Security Jamshed Iqbal Cheema at the Finance Division. During the meeting, the overall situation regarding availability of essential food items was discussed.
In his remarks, the finance minister reiterated the firm commitment of the government to provide essential food items at affordable prices to the consumers throughout the country. He also underscored the importance of building strategic reserves of key commodities namely wheat, sugar, pulses, ghee, tomatoes, onions and potatoes is order to eliminate undue profit margins and to stabilize prices of the items of daily use.
The “Agriculture Transformation Plan” was also discussed which is being introduced to shift conventional agriculture to the next level i.e. commercial agriculture aimed at boosting agricultural productivity in the country.
The SAPM outlined that Agriculture Transformation Plan will promote agri-business, attract investment from private sector, reduce post-harvest losses, add value to local agricultural produce, develops rural infrastructure and enhance access to micro credit for farmers.
The finance minister stressed the need to involve all the relevant stakeholders for successful implementation of the proposed Agriculture Transformation Plan. He also assured his full support and facilitation on the occasion. The finance minister also desired to utilize expertise of SAPM on Food Security to effectively control the prices of essential food items on regular basis to provide maximum relief to general public.