Industrial Boost Programmes On Cards: Dr Firdous

Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Punjab Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal and Provincial Minister for Special Education Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Ikhlaq have said that said that according to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, advanced programmes were being launched in the province including Sialkot to solve the problems of the industry

SIALKOT, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jul, 2021 ) :Special Assistant to Chief Minister Punjab on Information Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, Punjab Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal and Provincial Minister for Special education Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Ikhlaq have said that said that according to the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar, advanced programmes were being launched in the province including Sialkot to solve the problems of the industry.

They stated this while talking to business community at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) on World Youth Skills Day here on Thursday. President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Qaiser Iqbal Baryar and business community were also present.

On this occasion, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Punjab on Information Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan said that concrete steps were being taken by the Punjab government to address the issues of local industry and youth on priority basis.

She said that the welfare of the youth was the top priority of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government.

SACM said that training programmes launched by the Punjab Information and Technology board was empowering the youth through E-Rozrgaar Programme To highlight the use of modern technology and skills, the PTI government had brought advance technology in the institutions, she said.

Dr Firdous said that government was focusing on the IT sector and due to the steps taken by the government, the IT sector had made record progress.

She said that the E-Rozgaar Program was providing freelancing training to unemployed youth in Punjab so that they can earn foreign exchange by working online from home.

The government was taking all the possible steps to make the project more effective, she said.

SACM said that the present government had also made e-commerce an important sector of E-Rozrgaar training.

Dr Firdous said that providing freelancing training to 71,000 people in Punjab and establishing 45 training centers are among the future goals of the project.

So far, more than 31,000 candidates had been trained. The ratio of female candidates was 54 percent, adding that another 4,000 people were under training.

She said, in E-Rozgaar Program three months free training was being given.

There were 31 active centers in various educational institutions of Punjab province, out of which 5 centers were reserved for women, she said.

SCM said that the youths trained through this programme had so far earned more than Rs. 3.5 billion in a head of foreign exchange.

On this occasion, Punjab Industries and Trade Minister Mian Aslam Iqbal has said that a material testing lab was being set up in Sialkot for the sports goods industry of Sialkot.

He said that we were working closely with the Labour department for a housing colony for industrial workers. Providing jobs was the government's top priority, he added. He said Special Economic Zones (SEZ) were going to be built for the development of the country.

Provincial Minister said that for the first time in the history of the country, the Punjab government had given a comprehensive industrial policy.

Key features of the 5-year industrial policy includes 10 percent annual industrial growth, employment for 1.2 million people annually, vocational training for 5,00,000 people every year and steps were being taken to promote and improve the quality of industries, he said.

Mian Aslam said that the Punjab government started work simultaneously on the establishment of 13 Special Economic Zones (SEZs) adding that the Punjab government had set up five special economic centers in Vehari, Bhalwal, Rahim Yar Khan, Faisalabad and Bahawalpur.

He said that the country's largest industrial estate was being established in Muzaffargarh and Layyah over an area of 20,000-acre.

He further said that the industrial estate on Sialkot-Lahore Motorway was a great gift of the Punjab government.

Provincial Minister said that the purpose for the establishment of online portal was to connect skilled people with domestic and foreign buyers for sale of industrial goods.

Mian Aslam said that a Skills Council was being formed under Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA).

TEVTA had replaced the traditional system with a new skill ecosystem and adopted CBT&A programme as adopted by 130 countries of the world, he said.