PDWP APPROVES KSEZ SCHEME WORTH RS 1148

December 7, 2009


By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: Sindh government has approved a scheme of Khairpur Special Economic Zone (KSEZ) modified estimated cost of Rs1148.612 million with Sindh Board of Investment (SBoI) as the sponsoring agency for the project.

This was decided in a Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) meeting held Monday under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) (Development) Planning and Development Department (P&D) Munawer Opel at his office.

The meeting was informed that the scheme was included in the Annual development program (ADP) 2009-10 under Statistical and Economic Research Institute. An allocation of Rs 200 million was earmarked for its implementation during current financial year. The umbrella scheme covering Special Economic Zones at districts Larkana, Benzirabad, Tharparkar, Matiari, Thatta, Badin and Khairpur with an estimated cost of Rs.3351.52 million was approved by PDWP in June 2009.

The present scheme under consideration was second time modification, which included additional activities such as drinking water, drainage, sewerage, land leveling, boundary wall, wastewater treatment, shared facility, truck terminal, link road to N 5 and soft cost provisions pertaining to zone, power, facility, dry port designs, dry port customer, legal, project management, permitting, tendering, fees, office equipment and insurance, etc.

The ACS (Development) has asked the District Government Khairpur to move a summary for Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah for additional funds. The meeting also decided to approve the scheme in principle with SBoI as the sponsoring agency for the project.

The Special Secretary Industries was of the view that SBoI or Industries Department be declared the sponsoring agency, as project would be helpful in providing value addition and state of the art facilities to attract maximum investment.

The DCO Khairpur Abbas Baloch informed that his scheme has been conceived with the technical assistance of Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF). Funds were being funded through Provincial ADP.

He also informed that the Sindh CM was very keen and constantly pursuing the project for expeditious and implementation completion. District Government would approach the CM secretariat for additional funds.

Secretary P&D, special secretary Industries, special secretaries of Technical, Development and Chiefs of the P&D, representatives of Finance Department and focal Persons of KSEZ and CSF attended the meeting.