The government has chalked out a comprehensive plan to achieve an inclusive and sustainable growth.

This was stated by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin while addressing a news conference along with some members of the cabinet and Economic Advisory Council in Islamabad today. 

The Finance Minister said a mechanism has also been developed to ensure implementation of the plan to achieve the targets set for different sectors. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan will regularly be briefed about the implementation of the plan and the people will also be kept informed about the progress on it.

Responding to a question, the Finance Minister said our negotiations are continuing with the IMF and ruled out the possibility of coming out of its program.  He said he will also visit Washington in October for one on one  talks with the international lender.

Minister for National Food Security Fakhar Imam said new initiatives are being launched to strengthen the agriculture sector.

He said the country witnessed a significant increase in major crops. He said our focus is now on improving the cotton production by providing quality seeds and other inputs to the farmers on reduced rates. 

He said the research institutes will be upgraded to achieve high productivity in the agriculture sector. He said the government is giving special emphasis to improve the living standards of the farmers. For this purpose, we increased the support price of wheat from fourteen hundred rupees per forty kilogram to eighteen hundred rupees per forty kilogram. Efforts, he said, are also afoot to upgrade the livestock sector.

Minister for Industries and Production Khusro Bakhtiyar said the government is focusing on Made in Pakistan.

He said the government's policies have started yielding results. There has been fifteen percent growth in the Large Scale Manufacturing.  He said we are giving tax incentives to the Small and Medium Enterprises and hurdles are being removed to provide them the credit.

Khusro Bakhtiyar said the government now plans indigenization of raw material in order to strengthen its industrial base.

He said an industrial zone is being established on 1500 acres of land in Karachi and export oriented industries will be encouraged to make investments in it.

Adviser on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood said the government's target is to bolster exports.  He said exports targets are being achieved. He said we want to rationalize our imports by encouraging local production.

He expressed satisfaction over the local manufacturing of mobile phones.

Razak Dawood said we have done the tariff rationalization and fifty percent of raw material being imported is duty free. He said this facility will be further expanded in the next budget.

Dr Ishrat Hussain emphasized the need for empowering the local bodies in order to provide basic amenities of the people at their doorsteps.

He said a plan has been prepared to revamp the state owned enterprises.

Member of Economic Advisory Council Arif Habib and Muhammad Ali Tabba commended government's pro-business policies.

Muhammad Ali Tabba said that more people are showing interest in the manufacturing as a result of government's policies.  He was confident that the government will surpass the growth target set for the current fiscal year.

Arif Habib was appreciative of government's construction package and the housing scheme.