LAHORE: President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce Mian Tariq Misbah remained extensively engaged with various policy makers to make policy advocacy to convey the viewpoint of the business community before budget. The LCCI President had meetings with the parliamentarians including Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azher, Minister of State for Information Farrukh Habib and Cabinet Secretary Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera and presented doable suggestions for the revival of trade, industry and economy.
During the meeting with Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azher, the LCCI President discussed the LCCI Budget proposals for the FY 2021-22 and called for special treatment for the trade and industry in the context of COVID-19.
Federal Minister Hammad Azher assured the trade and industry would be given due consideration and special relief in the Federal Budget 2021-22. He said that COVID-19 has posed serious challenges for the economy and the government is making all out efforts to bring economy back on rail.
About energy sector, the Minister said that a structured approach is being adopted for timely completion of in the power sector. He said that circular debt, upgrade of transmission & distribution system and improved service delivery in the power sector are the areas of prime focus.
He said that high cost of electricity generation, circular debt and leakages in the transmission system have made the power sector financially challenging. "The key focus of the reform process is to bring efficiency, cost effectiveness and sustainability to the system", the Minister added.
While having meetings with the State Minister for Information Farrukh Habib and Cabinet Secretary Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, the LCCI President particularly discussed the miseries of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Farrukh Habib said that arrangements for bank financing to the SMEs have not given the desired results. "We are making dedicated financial arrangements for the SMES, other than banks", he said adding that foreign companies have also been invited to support SME sector in Pakistan.
Mian Tariq Misbah said that the SME sector is one of the major victims of COVID-19 there fore, the government should introduce supportive policies. He said that Small & Medium Enterprises are the backbone of the economy and their role is crucial for economic development of the country.
A good workable policy should be evolved for the Small & Medium Enterprises in consultation with the stakeholders.
The LCCI President said that major issue of SMEs is limited access to the financing.
He said that only 7.27 per cent of total lending to the private sector is being given to the SME sector that is meager and should be enhanced.
Mian Tariq Misbah said the decision makers' feedback from the private sector plays fundamental role in formulating appropriate policies for the trade, industry and economy. Being premier Chamber of the country, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry has forwarded a set of proposals for the Federal Budget 2021-22 to the Ministry of Finance, Federal Board of Revenue and other related departments.
He said that LCCI Budget Proposals are a composition of the issues being faced by the business community and recommendations for their best possible solution.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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