The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Friday appreciated Punjab government for its special focus on power generation, education, health, infrastructure and the agriculture sector.
The launch of Punjab Rozgar Scheme, establishment of Punjab Education Council and the allocation of huge funds for enhancement of fruit and vegetable exports would help strengthen the provincial economy. In a statement issued here, the LCCI Acting President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad said that an acute shortage of electricity had crippled economic activities in the country and the allocation of Rs9 billion for 500 MW projects would definitely help mitigate the problems being faced by trade and industry in the wake of power shortage. An allocation of Rs1.36 billion for solar tube-wells would help enhance agro yield in the province.
However, the LCCI Acting President said that the government has failed to provide any solid plan to ensure gas to the industrial sector which is one of the major raw materials. He also said that the size of the development programme is very small and it was expected that the government would allocate a much larger amount for the purpose.
He said that the decision to conduct Performance Audit of government departments would not only help increase efficiency in the government departments but it would also bring much needed transparency in the working. The LCCI Acting president said that Punjab Rozgar Scheme is a visionary step of the Provincial government as it would help the unemployed educated youth to earn their livelihood in a respectable manner.
Sheikh Mohammad Arshad said that establishment of Punjab Education Council for having a check on increase in fees of private educational institutions would go a long way in ensuring quality education to the students.