ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Tuesday stressed setting up of small sugar mills to curb cartelization in the sugar sector. Ghous Bux Mahar presided the meeting. The committee was informed about the performance of the Heavy Mechanical Complex (HMC) and the Engineering Development Board (EDB).
HMC Chief Executive Ashraf Butt informed the committee that HMC had manufactured numerous sugar plants, cement factories, boilers, electric overhead and gantry cranes, road rollers, asphalt mixing plants, equipment for oil and gas processing industry, thermal and hydel power plants, besides various defence related products.
He said HMC has exported 4 sugar plants, one clinker grinding plant, overhead traveling cranes and road construction machinery to Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Ghana, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia. HMC plans to manufacture turbines for hydro and thermal power plants and a PC-1 is already submitted to the Planning Commission. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 21.5 million, having foreign exchange component of $ 156.4 million.
The design institute for energy sector plants will also be upgraded at an estimated cost of Rs 665.3 million. The committee members observed that the country had the capability of manufacturing sugar plants, the ministry of industries should allow setting up of small sugar plants, which would help in promoting competition in the sugar sector.
The committee expressed serious concerns over the performance of EDB. One member, Kishan Chand Parwani even demanded closure of the board for its poor performance. The committee members demanded rationalization in the prices of locally manufactured cars. EDB officials said the depreciation of Rupee as compared to Dollar was responsible for hike in car prices.
The committee stressed indigenous manufacturing of auto parts. EDB officials said only Pak-Suzuki motors has achieved its deletion target while Indus and Atlas Motors were still struggling on the front.
