PESHAWAR
Advisor to KP Caretaker CM on Mineral Development Dr. Syed Sarfaraz Ali Shah has said that instead of individuals, firms should be given opportunities in granting mineral leases.
He was presiding over the introductory meeting at Mineral Development Department here on Tuesday. Secretary Minerals Hameedullah Shah, Additional Secretaries Muhammad Ilyas, Musarat Zaman and other senior officials of the department also attended the meeting.
The advisor said that firms enjoy legal status and their experience should also be considered in the selection process. He further said that they have to provide best opportunities and facilities to the investors in order to bring improvement in the economy and increase the income of the province by controlling the expenses.
The advisor said that beside companies and firms the department itself should also have to focus on the identification of new sites to attract foreign and domestic investors and companies. He said that inviting pre-qualification of firms is the best procedure in this regard.
He directed to digitize the whole system of the department and provide all facilities to investors at once place.
Regarding provision of facilities to miners, he said that efforts should be made in the ongoing projects to provide best education to the children of the mining workers and medical treatment facilities to their families in the settled districts and especially in the newly merged districts.
Earlier, during the briefing, the Advisor was informed that the department has so far issued 2257 licenses while work on granting 1097 leases was in progress. The department has 12 schemes under the annual development programme (ADP) including 9 ongoing and 3 new projects, while a total budget of Rs 66.672 million has been released for four months.
