(MENAFN - Arab News) Work on the new industrial city in Makkah will start shortly as its municipality yesterday allocated one million square meters of land near Makkah Gate region for the purpose. It gives a big boost to "Made-in-Makkah" project.
"Our ministry is fully prepared to start constructing infrastructure facilities for the new industrial city," said Tawfiq Al-Rabiah, minister of commerce and industry.
Speaking to reporters after meeting businessmen at the Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said the total area of industrial cities in the Kingdom increased four times from 40 million to 160 million square meters during the last five years.
"Traders will be able to get commercial registration electronically by the end of this year without the need to visit the ministry and its branch offices," Al-Rabiah said.
He said the ministry has simplified procedures to speed up issuance of commercial registrations, in coordination with other government departments. "You will get trade names within a week after presenting application," he told businessmen. He disclosed plans to give more powers to branch managers to expedite procedures and boost economic development.
Al-Rabiah said the ministry would take away lands from investors if they fail to carry out projects within a specific time.
The ministry was successful in banning Yanaseeb competitions that cheat the public to make money.
"We are making intensive efforts to ensure adequate supply of cement required for Makkah projects," he said and warned traders who store large quantities of cement to hike prices.
"About 80 percent of shops have so far followed the instruction to issue bills in Arabic and we have fined violators of the law," the minister said. Consumers have the right to return back counterfeit products and the traders have to pay their money in full, he said.
Al-Rabiah said monopolizing supply was one of the main reasons for increase in prices. "We have received 35 cases related to this issue and imposed fines worth more than SR 150 million. We have requested higher authorities to increase the fine on such traders," he said.
Speaking at the event, Talal Mirza, president of MCCI, emphasized his chamber's determination to promote made in Makkah products. He disclosed plans to hold a forum for cottage industries in Muslim countries to make use of their expertise to develop Makkah products.
