DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Industries, Abdul Karim Tordher, has outlined plans for the establishment of new Small Industrial Estates in Swat, Lower Dir, and Bara, Khyber District. He emphasized that these new projects would foster industrial development in the region, contributing to economic growth through industrialization.
Tordher highlighted that the energy requirements for these new industrial estates would be met using electricity generated within the province through local corridors, which would further support the region’s economic development. He also stressed the significance of the proposed industrial estate in Bara for the growth of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the area.
The Special Assistant also directed the Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) to come up with proposals to resolve financial issues related to compensation for the Mardan III Industrial Estate, said an official handout.
He praised the efforts made to overcome obstacles in establishing an industrial estate in Naurak Waziristan.
These remarks were made during a meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s Standing Committee on Industries, Commerce, and Technical Education, which was held on Thursday. The meeting was chaired by Iftikhar Ali Mashwani, the committee’s chairman and Member of Provincial Assembly, and attended by several provincial ministers, assembly members, and officials from various relevant departments.
During the meeting, the committee was briefed on the existing and proposed projects for industrial estates by SIDB, along with the challenges faced. It was decided that a joint meeting would be organized with all Members of National and Provincial Assemblies from Swat, as well as Chamber representatives and SIDB officials, to achieve consensus on the location for a Small Industrial Estate in Swat. This meeting was given a 15-day deadline to reach an agreement.
The committee also decided to invite members from Lower Dir for a meeting to address issues related to establishing a Small Industrial Estate in the district. This project aims to consolidate the scattered industrial businesses in Lower Dir into one centralized location.
Additionally, a report on the establishment of an industrial estate in Swabi will be presented at the next meeting. The proposed industrial estate in Naurak Waziristan, for which funds have been released, is facing a land dispute, but the department’s ongoing efforts were praised, and a progress report will be shared in the next meeting.
Regarding electricity supply to an industrial estate in Bannu, the committee proposed a meeting between relevant departments, the board, and officials from Akram Durrani College to develop a clear plan. The committee also instructed that a briefing on the details of plots and the auction process in Risalpur and Nowshera Industrial Estates be provided at the next meeting.
