FAISALABAD - The Ministry of Industries is ready to rid the Faisalabad industries of the prevailing energy crisis by resorting to alternative energy resources, energy audit, technical assistance and industrial productivity training with special focus on the Small and Medium Enterprises, said Neelophar Hafeez, joint secretary of the Ministry of Industries.
On the other side, the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry leadership demanded indiscriminate distribution of gas and electricity to the industries across the country, adding that the loadshedding has crippled the industries. During her visit to the FCCI, she commended the Faisalabad entrepreneurs for successfully running the large, small and medium industries due to which Faisalabad has developed high to one of the largest industrial and economic hub in the country. Elaborating further, she said that the Ministry had set up the National Productivity Organisation regional office at the FCCI which was providing productivity related industrial trainings and consultancy to the industries.
She offered to facilitate technical training with Pakistan Industrial Training Assistance Centre along with expert advice for energy audit desired by the industries. She maintained that energy crisis was the whole country’s problem and does not look to be resolved in the near future. However, she advised that industries should also resort to the alternative energy resources and the Ministry is ready to help for technical assistance and providing seed money under public private partnership.
She asked the FCCI members to forward their suggestions for incorporating to new industrial policy and suggesting methodologies for industrial promotion in the country. The Ministry of Industries would, however, approach to the related ministries for resolving the energy crisis and other problems faced by the industries. While welcoming the joint secretary and her team, Muhammad Boota, the vice president of FCCI, said that the recent electricity and gas loadshedding had crippled the industry particularly the textile industries in Faisalabad. Resultantly, exports target of US$16 billion for 2012-13 would not be achieved, trade deficit will increase and above all Pakistani exporters would further lose trust and confidence of foreign buyers.
He lamented that it was great injustice that one part of the country was being supplied gas for six days a week while the industries in the other part of the country have no gas. He said that Faisalabad was a city of small and medium industries and the government should devise a comprehensive policy for these industries so that the regional economy should progress further.
He continued that every year a large number of engineers were being produced by Pakistani universalities. The government should make it mandatory for one year internship with the industries of passed out engineering graduates for gainful employment at the time of induction with the industries, he added.
Later, a chamber souvenir was presented to the guest by Mr Abdul Qayyum Sheikh, former president of FCCI. Muhammad Nawaz, Ch M Asghar, Rana Sikandar Azam Khan, Haji Muhammad Shafi also spoke on the occasion.