PESHAWAR: Board of the Directors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Economic Zone Authority (KP-SEZA) has agreed to the proposed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Special Economic Zones Authority and approved submission of the same to Board of Investment, Islamabad for final approval.
The board also approved the status of Special Economic Zone for Mohmand Marble City and directed the authorities concerned to acquire additional land of 2000 acres and prepare feasibility study for the purpose. The 7th meeting of the Board of Directors of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Special Economic Zones Authority was held here on Tuesday with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair. Special Assistant to CM on Industries Abdul Karim and other board members attended the meeting.
The chief minister directed the quarters concerned to accelerate shifting of marble factories from Warsak Road, Malagori and Shabqadar to newly established Mohmand Marble City (Mohmand Economic Zone) further directing to ensure timely provision of the facilities to investors in all the economic zones in the province. He further directed that investors should be made bound to start physical work within the six months’ time period after the allotment of plot in economic zones and in case of failure to start practical work within the time limit, allotment of plot would be cancelled.
He said that basic purpose of establishing Economic Zones was to provide employment opportunities to people by promoting industrial sector in the province for which all the stakeholders including Industry Department would have to fulfill their responsibilities well in time.
Earlier, briefing about the implementation status on decisions taken in the 6th BoD meeting of KP-SEZA, it was informed that Federal Board of Investment (BOI) has approved the Zone Regulations for Rashakai Special Economic Zone which have been made part of the development agreement already signed. Similarly, Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) of Rashakai Special Economic Zone has been registered with Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan.
The meeting was also briefed about the latest development on Mohmand Economic Zone and informed that 106 plots of different category out of total 290 plots have already been allotted adding that 132 KV grid station and water supply network was available in the zone. The forum also discussed and reviewed the proposal regarding status of Sole Enterp7rise SEZ for manufacturing of Cement and allied building materials in D.I. Khan and accorded approval to submit the same for approval of Board of Investment, Islamabad.
Chief Minister has directed the quarters concerned to ensure visible progress on all economic zones projects and said that it was among the top priorities of government to provide job opportunities to the people by promoting Industrial activities in the province adding that the provincial government would provide all out support in this regard.
He also directed the concerned authorities to ensure that plots in Rashakai Special Economic Zone are leased out because selling out of these plots is not allowed. He further directed authorities of Industry department to ensure timely provision of utilities to all economic zones to ensure that work on installation of plants have been launched within the six month of plot allotment.