Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) Chief Executive Shahab Khawaja has said the government is committed to promoting the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) sector in the country to attain the desired goals of elimination of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment from the country.
"The loan of $12 million offered by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is being utilised fully for further strengthening this sector", said Shahab Khawaja during his meeting with the senior executives of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) here on Wednesday.
He said Smeda has started the consultation with chambers and industrial associations to pave way for the first-ever SME policy in the country.
The meeting was chaired by RCCI Senior Vice President Jawed Akhtar Bhatti, and attended by senior executives as well as RCCI Vice-President Fazal-ur-Rehman.
Speaking on the occasion, the Smeda chief executive said the government has decided to consume this fund to develop a long-term SME policy coupled with the Common Facility Centers for SMEs in various parts of the country, adding the job cannot be done without the active participation of the stakeholders from the private sectors.
He called upon the RCCI to give their proposals both for the SME policy as well as the need of Common Facility Centers in their region.
Shahab Khawaja apprised the RCCI members about the services being rendered for development of the SME sector.
He specially mentioned that Smeda has organised over 150 training programmes for SMEs in 42 cities country-wide.
Earlier, RCCI Senior Vice-President Jawed Akhtar Bhatti, in his address of welcome, lauded the role of Smeda, saying the Authority is working hard for filling the gap of modern training in the SME sector.
However, he said to increase the number and areas of the training programmes by reducing its fees.
He also called for a Smeda desk at the RCCI offering the place free of cost for this purpose, saying the Chamber is playing a bridge between the business community and the government to help resolve issues and enhance the trade and economic activities.
It is basically a service-provider and imparts the know-how to the business entrepreneurs about various issues they conflict.
Bhatti said the world is rapidly changing particularly the economic scenario and priorities of the nations have shown different trends, adding when World Trade Organisation would emerge in 2005, only nations with strong economic structure would survive and dominate the scene.
"Keping in view such realities, we must gear up our efforts to make our economy strong, increase the export volume, and reduce the energy and production cost of the products to make them presentable and competitive in world market", said Bhatti.
The RCCI SVP said SMEs are considered as the principal driving force in the economic development of a country, and this stimulates private ownership and industrial skills, generate employment and help diversify economic activity thus augmenting exports and domestic trade.
He also said in changing world economic scenario role of Smeda is very important to help small business entrepreneurs to establish their industrial units and guide them towards the new vistas of cost effective production.
"We must keep this reality in mind that small and medium enterprises are backbone of the economy of a country. Besides enhancing the economic activities, these enterprises are helping government in eradicating poverty, unemployment and helping people to improve their living standard", he added.
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