Morning News
7th March 1957
Private & Foreign Capital Will be Welcome Mujib
Plan to Regulate Forward Trading in Food grains
Chittagong, Mar. 6 (APP): The East Pakistan Commerce, Labour and Industries Minister, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, today emphasized the importance of increasing the acreage of tea by rehabilitation derelict gardens and bringing under cultivation new acreage in under to achieve the higher production targets. The Minister, who was addressing the Ninth Annual General Meeting of the Pakistan Tea association here, reiterated that the Government shall welcome and continue to encourage private and foreign capital for investment in the province. “Let there be no worry and no anxiety on this account in the mind of any one.” he added.
He declared that Government had fixed the tea production target at a million pounds per annum to be achieved within the next few years. He promised that Government would give all possible assistance to the industry in improving the quality and increasing the quantity of its annual production. Mr. Rahman expressed satisfaction at the constant increase in external and internal demand. Which he added “Justifies the target in view.”
He told the Association that Pakistan Tea Board was taking suitable steps to step up consumption, both at home and abroad and said, “They need your co-operation in the matter of prices, which must be kept at economic levels. Turning to the specific points raised in the address by the Chairman of the Association, the Minister assured the Association that government determined to keep down the prices of foodgrains at reasonable level and none would be allowed to make capital of human misery by creating or exploiting artificial scarcity.
Mr. Rahman said that Government had taken up various measures for tackling the food problem. He disclosed that Government was proposing to regulate forward trading in foodgrains, in order to curb the speculative tendency.
Packing Material
Referring to the shortage of packing material, the Minister informed that there should not be any apprehension as the two teachests manufacturing units in the country would definitely be in a position to meet the current annual requirements of the tea industry in respect of tea chests. He further told them that the Forest Department had informed that with the existing forest resources and existing plywood manufacturing capacity, there was no question of supply falling short of demand “Shortfall”. If any Mr. Rahman added, would be met by imports either of raw material or of finished products.
He said that their request for the supply of 600 water-tight railway wagons per month had been passed on to the railway authorities, who had promosed to do their very best within their limitations. Mr. Rahman also told them that a telephone exchange was being opened at Srimangal and said that the posts and Telegraphs authorities had also informed that their request for a telephone connection at Shamshernagar would receive favourable consideration.
He expressed gratification at the Pakistanisation of the covenanted posts in the Tea Estates during the last one year. Mr. Rahman said that he was sure ail commercial concerns would follow sun in this regard. Mr. Rahman said that the civil aviation authorities were currently exploring the possibilities of linking up Sylhet with Dacca by regular air service and considered the prospects of the protect going through to be fairly bright. He said that there were certain technical hitches like the procurement of necessary equipment, apart from financial implications, “Your offer of subsidizing the service will be immensely useful and make the introduction of the projected service easier,” he said.
As regards the supply of requirements such as building material, the Minister promised that the Government would treat the matter on a special footing. He said that if the Association furnished to his department a consolidated statement of its requirements, estatewise duty supported by relevant facts and figures, steps to meet these requirements by making adhoc imports through Director General of Supply and Development might be taken.
He noted with satisfaction that the Association shared Governments anxiety in raising the standard of living of the Tea Estate Workers. He suggested the Association to take up various measures such as improving the housing conditions, removal of ‘unsustainable; distinction between the male and female workers, stopping of employing children in tea gardens or factories, and extension of medical, education and leave facilities.