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Mine owners ask government to fully utilize natural
resources
Staff Reporter
Peshawar—The mine owners in NWFP asked the provincial government for
utilization of the natural resource for financial and economic
development of the backward province. “Mining is the potential sector
of NWFP, whose promotion and development could change the fortune of
the people of this part of the country,” Syed Abdullah, president
Frontier Mine Owners Association told a group of journalists here at
the provincial headquarters of Small & Medium Enterprise Development
Authority (Smeda). He was flanked by Shahid-ur-Rehman, president All
Pakistan Marble Association.
He said that they are approaching the leadership of the provincial
government to discuss the problems confronting the sector and also
present their proposals and suggestions for the development of the
sector.
NWFP and FATA, he said is rich in natural resources having the
reserves of more than 50 minerals, both precious and semi-precious. He
said that they are included metallic minerals and non-metallic with
different varieties of gemstones.
Due to the geographical disadvantage, mineral he said was the only
indigenous sector for industrial development of the province. He said
that the development of only mine and mineral sector could put the
province on the path of progress and development.
Terming mineral sector as the most neglected, he said the sector has
no facility of funding by government institution. “Neither it has any
loan service nor it was being recognized as co-lateral in any monetary
agreement in the country,” complained Syed Abdullah.
He said the province has 9 semi-precious stones included tourmaline,
aquamarine, emerald, ruby and peridot while precious gemstone of gold
has reserves in Dir, Chitral and Hazara regions. In metallic minerals,
the province has the reserves of copper, zinc and chromite.
In industrial minerals, he said the province is rich in soapstone,
manganese, pastpate, marble and granite. He said that the province has
reserves of 4 to 5 billion ton of coal and billion of tons gypsum.
However, he said despite of such huge natural resources, the province
has so far issued licenses and leases to 13500 people.
The department of mines and minerals NWFP, he said has so far granted
the lease of only 3 lakh acre land of the total 94000 square kilometer
area of the province. The sector, he said generate a revenue of Rs.300
million annually for the provincial government while Labour Welare
Cess was also being collected from the mines owners.
Regarding the number of workers in the sector, he said it was a
seasonal sector and usually about 30,000 people have livelihood
concern with it. However, some time the number of labour force crossed
over the figure of 50,000. He said that the new concessional rules had
allowed sub-letting of the mines.
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