Textile industry: Shahbaz vows uninterrupted power supply
Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that he would not let the Punjab-based textile industry close down during winter due to energy shortage and arrangements similar to last year would be ensured by the government.
He was talking to a delegation of APTMA, PTMEA, APTPMA and PRGMEA under the leadership of Chairman APTMA S M Tanveer. Federal Textile Minister Abbas Khan Afridi, Group Leader APTMA Gohar Ejaz, Chairman APTMA Punjab Seth Muhammad Akbar, Vice Chairman APTMA Wisal Monnoo and Group Leader PTEA Ahmed Kamal besides leadership of all associations and other representatives were also present on the occasion.
Chief Minister further assured of expediting the process of introducing special energy tariff for the textile industry to make it competitive regionally. He said the proposed tariff is under consideration of the government. The textile industry delegation had called on the Chief Minister Punjab after the concluding session of the first-ever Textile Summit organised by the Federal Textile Ministry in Lahore.
The delegation exchanged the concerns of the textile industry in relation to the energy security as well as affordability consequently making the Punjab-based textile industry unviable. They further pointed out that the basic textile exports of yarn and fabric have already fallen down by 11 percent and 36 percent respectively from April onwards due to energy insecurity as well as non-affordability.
Chairman APTMA S M Tanveer apprised the Chief Minister that the last year arrangement of the government towards supply of gas and electricity to the Punjab-based mills during winter paid accordingly and industry’s exports had witnessed a rise of $1 billion accordingly. Shahbaz said the government was fully aware of the situation and said that reduction in cost of doing business was the top priority of the government and all efforts are being made in this regard to make industry regionally competitive.
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