Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) has been successful in bringing technology awareness in all the sectors and is continuously training skilled persons in areas of high engineering and social importance.Ministry of Industries and Production (MOIP) sources while highlighting the performance and achievements of the corporation during past three years told APP that PIDC has ventured setting up joint ventures on public private partnership basis end subsidiary companies under section 42 of the companies ordinance to cater to the needs of development and upgradation in the areas of Engineering, Stone Cutting/ Mining, Gems & Jewellery, Hunting and Sporting, Furniture, Textile, Chemical /Energy and Education Sectors.

Contributing substantially to the development and growth of socio economic horizon of the country, PIDC during the last 3 years has a number of achievements to its credit.

The MOIP sources said that in the Textile Sector, PIDC has set up Southern Punjab Embroidery Industry (SPEI) to address the socio economic posture of Southern Punjab.

They said it was aimed at pooling up the talent in embroidery making,which is the peculiarity of the soil of this region, and develop it, enhancing their skills to the modern trends and concepts.

This project, they said would have both training/skill development facilities as well as manufacturing setup installed at 10 different locations was a joint venture between PIDC and a Private Partner on the concept of Public Private Partnership (PPP).

This joint venture, they added was aiming at becoming an active market player in textile industry, would provide 4000 and plus employments to the local craftsmen mostly from the womenfolk.

The training and production activities of this joint venture company were expected to start shortly.

In Education Sector, they said PIDC has established 4 Skill Development Centers (SDCs) 2 each in Batgram and Mansehra through and its subsidiary company TUSDEC- All these 4 SDCs , after three years of successful operations, would be handed over to Government of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa as a gift from PIDC for the earthquake affected areas.

These SDCs, built with a cost of over Rs. 100 million, have so far trained 5200 no of students in various disciplines.

These SDCs would prove a catalyst in improving the socio economic texture of the area,they added.The Pakistan Chemical and Energy Sector Skill Development Center (PCESSDC) is at final stages of its putting into operation, in Daharki Sindh.

It is expected to be commissioned and start the academic activity by June 2011, they added this venture of PIDC costs Rs 209 million with 50% sharing jointly by M/s Engro, Fauji Fertilizer & Mari Gas.

The institute , they said would be affiliated with Sindh Technical Board and would initially offer 3 years Diploma Courses in Chemical, Mechanical, Instrumental and Computer disciplines.

This institute will not only provide high quality engineering institute to the remote area of Sindh but will also provide highly skilled Technicians and Engineers in Chemical and Energy Sector.

This project is bound to bring revolution in social and economic pattern of rural Sindh, they added.

They added that Skill Development Centers (SDCs) in earthquake effected areas.

The SkillTech International Karachi institute has been set up through PIDC subsidiary company TUSDEC, operating in Karachi since April 2001 and was conducting courses in Technical / engineering subject in affiliation with City and Guild UK. SO far 263 students have been trained in engineering related subjects.

In the Industrial Sector,Korangi Creek industrial Park (KCIP)was being setup through PIDC’s subsidiary company.

The National Industrial Parks Development and Management Company (NIP),on modern concept in industrialization introduced in Pakistan for the first time.

This trailblazer would prove revolutionizing for the industrial sector of the country.

The project spread on an area of 250 acres of land in Korangi Creek area and it would house clusters of Light Engineering, Food Processing, Packaging & Printing, Consumer & Pharmaceutical and value Added Textiles/ Leather within one boundary wall and having its own power generation facilities, they added.

They added that it woyud also have its own Affluent Treatment Plant,thus addressing effectively the ever painful pollution issue.

This industrial park would accommodate 230 industrial units. The allotment of plots for this park has been started and the target date of starting industrial activities in this park is June 2012.

Pakistan Stone Development Company (PASDEC) has been established through its

subsidiary company PASDEC, PIDC has ventured to harness unfathomable scope of stone embedded in our mountains.

This company, the sources said was actively engaged in development of Stone industry of the country by bringing in latest technology in mining and stone cutting.

It has initiated number of projects for development of quarries in Balochistan area and also successfully conducting training courses to develop the skills in this field, they remarked.

In the Gem & Jewelery Sector, Pakistan Gems and Jewelery Development Company (PGJDC) through its subsidiary company PGJDC, PIDC has ventured to tap the vast potential in this area and upgrade this industry to match the international standards, through inducting modern technology into the industry and also by imparting training to the youth in this discipline.

In the Engineering Sector,the sources added that Gujranwala Tool Dies and Mould center (GTDMC) project initiated by PIDC’s subsidiary company for Technical Up-gradation and Skill Development Company (TUSDEC), was inaugurated by the President of Pakistan in January 2010.

The GTDMC is a combination of a Common Facility and Skill Development Centre, its location at Gujranwala is ideal to serve the vibrant industrial clusters in and around Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Daska and Wazirabad.

The project, they added was not only aimed at facilitating the industry through research, technical assistance and training courses but it also envisages bringing savings in foreign exchange that was hitherto consumed in importing tools and dies.

The MOIP sources said that all the ongoing projects would expand further in the coming years and its fruit to the nation would become candid and known to all, particularly in the disciplines of Engineering (Tool Dies and mould), Gem & Jewellery, Mining/ cutting of stones will see a revolutionary change as these PIDC’s initiated projects were aimed at introducing latest techniques and trends in these areas.