Fund for training of garments’ workers okayed
Daily Times
* EDF Board approves setting up of Textile Garment Skill Development Board
ISLAMABAD: The Export Development Fund Board has approved the establishment of a Textile Garment Skill Development (TGSD) Board and ordered the release of Rs 19.9 million for starting the Trade Policy 2004-05 initiative on training workers of the textile garment industry on factory premises.
The idea is to have such training programme affiliated with reputable international certification institutions. The project will involve training of thousands of workers. The current approval will set into motion the process and 1,800 workers will be trained in this phase. The step would help the workers, as it will upgrade their skills and make substantial contribution to promote the export of textile garment sector.
An official informed that the local textile industry is facing shortage of skilled and semi- skilled workers to run the latest machinery and technology being used in the textile sector, especially in the value added textile products. The textile ministry in its meeting early this month had recommended to the government not only to provide skill development facilities at the textile units but to allow the import of skilled textile workers and trainers from Sri Lanka and other countries.
The meeting was informed that the skill development of textile workers in the textile units would bridge the gap between the demand and availability of workers in this sector of prime importance. It will result in expansion of the textile units and increased production of textile products for exports.
The Board also reviewed the progress on the establishment of Pakistan Exhibition & Display Centre in Sharjah. The Board granted permission to the Export Promotion Bureau for placing advertisement in the national as well as the UAE print media for inviting expressions of interest from private companies for construction of the project on public-private partnership basis.
These decisions were taken at the 45th meeting of the Board of Administrators of Export Development Fund (EDF) held on March 22 at the ministry of commerce.
Humayun Akhtar Khan, Minister for Commerce/Chairman of the EDF Board, presided over the meeting. The participants of the meeting included the minister of state for commerce, secretaries, ministry of commerce and ministry of textile, vice chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau and the representatives of prominent trade associations.
