World Bank keen to develop marble sector in FATA
KARACHI: World Bank multi donor trust fund (WB MDTF) is keen to take initiative for the development, progress and prosperity of marble sector in Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA).
In this connection the WB Fund requires detailed prospects of the marble sector in FATA in order to facilitate the mining and end product industry.
Talking to Daily Times, Sanaullah Khan Chairman of All Pakistan Marble Mining Processing Industry and Exports Association (APMMPIEA) while appreciating the efforts of WB in the development of marble sector advised the owners of the marble mining units and factories in Bajaur, Khyber agency and Mulagori to speed up efforts for the development and prosperity of their businesses. He said markets in Afghanistan Middle East, China were easily approachable if we would improve our industry on better disciplines and pick up our quality.
He said export of this sector could be increased manifold thus Pakistan could generate considerable revenues.
Khan said for this purpose, a delegation of FATA small and medium enterprises (SMEs) Economic Revitalisation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata (ERKF) project staff, officers of FATA secretariat and marble sector expert would be visiting marble factories of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi in order to observe the best practices, so that they become aware of best way of processing marble and may implement the same practices in their units in FATA and hence nurture the marble industries at large in FATA. A meeting between the delegation and Sanaullah Khan was also held to share expertise and the hardships of each other.
Khan said the meeting discussed value chain production and the opportunities and rich resources of marble present in Pakistan. He said there was unmatched wide variety of marble, which was present in Pakistan from KP to Karachi.
He said introduction of latest technology in the sector would bring great changes and positive results. By using modern technology, Pakistan marble could be projected further in international market. The technology would greatly help marble mining at the site and to aid in squared blocks extraction, sizing and cutting the slabs of marble.
Khan said due to wastage, which were affecting this industry could also be minimised. The natural resource gets wasted in the mining operation and wasted in the processing. He highlighted the shortcomings that they have with regards to processing and projecting the finished products in the international market.
By overcoming these problems they could supply the finished product in the international market on schedule. The Balochistan industry is facing hardship and more than 600 marble quarries closed during the last two years in the province, owing to disputes between government departments besides the prevalent law and order situation. Ministry of Industries and Production and Mineral Department of Balochistan locked horns and caused huge losses to the industry.
Around 1,400 stone mines are in operation and over 2,200 processing units are producing value added products in the country. Mining and quarry sector contributes nearly 0.6 percent to Gross Domestic Products with a value addition of more than Rs 17 billion. The export has touched $35 million in January to July 2015.
http://nxnreality.blogspot.com/2015/09/world-bank-keen-to-develop-marble.html
