LAHORE: Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) delegation led by its President Mian Nauman Kabir
here Monday called on Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar to discuss issues faced by business community and industrialists.
LCCI Senior Vice President Mian Rehman Aziz Chan, Vice President Haris Ateeq were also part of the delegation. Provincial Secretary Industry was also present.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation of resolving problems of the business community and industrialists immediately.
The CM said the PTI government was a business friendly government and his office was always open
for the business community.
Usman Buzdar said new projects worth billions of rupees had been launched for the construction and development of Lahore. Issuance of NOC for setting up new factories has been simplified, while inspectors
less regime is providing more facilities to the industrialists, he added.
He said that a special technology zone were being set up in Lahore and new small industrial estates to
be developed in Punjab. He assured that the water rates for industries in Lahore would also be reviewed.
Sardar Usman Buzdar said the Punjab government had started employment scheme worth Rs 30 billion.
“We will build new parking plazas where necessary and I will also meet presidents of all chambers of
commerce and industries of Punjab soon, ” he added.
On this occasion, LCCI President Mian Nauman Kabir said the present government had taken exemplary
steps to create a conducive business environment. Industrialists and traders appreciate the government’s business-friendly policy, he said.
He said the Punjab government had taken unprecedented steps for the business community for the
construction and development of Lahore city.
The President said that the entire business community appreciates the fact that the Punjab government
had allocated a record amount of Rs 560 billion for the development programme of Punjab province in this
year’s budget. In addition, tax rates had been reduced in more than 25 services sectors, which would
enable growth in the sector, he said, The the launch of Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project was
also of great importance, he added.
LCCI Senior Vice President Mian Rehman Aziz Chan said that the LDA charges 20% of the commercial
value according to its DC rate for conversion of land used by the existing industry which was very high
and the fee was an obstacle to the development of industry, it should be removed, adding that existing
industrial units should be regularized without any charges.
He said WASA had increased water rates (Rs 100, 000 for 1 Cusec and Rs 50, 000 for 1/2 Cusec) for
industrial and commercial consumers in Lahore as compared to other cities in Punjab like Faisalabad
and Multan.
He said that at present, there were only two major industrial estates in Lahore (Sundar and Quaid-e-Azam)
that have come close to their capacity. The price of land for setting up new industrial units in Lahore had skyrocketed. Therefore, we demand that Special Economic Zones be set up around Lahore, where land
for the business community was available in easy instalments in case of long-term lease.
LCCI Vice President Haris Ateeq said that inflation in the country had reached up to nine percent,
adding that more steps needed to make the price control mechanism effective. He said the Lahore
Chamber should be represented in the district administration committees for timely resolution of
administrative matters.