President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Mansoor Ahmed on Sunday said that SCCI had focused its special attention on enhancing export volume for strengthening the national economy through export.
Talking to Business Recorder he said that strengthening of national economy had become more imperative at this juncture and business community of Sialkot was ready to play its vibrant role with missionary zeal in this regard. In order to attain yielding results we had focused attention on the promotion and strengthening of SME sector which had become more vital for doubling the export volume. Sialkot is export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry which represents SME sector and playing its significant role not only in providing employment opportunities but also strengthening the national exchequer he said.
Mansoor said that SCCI had focused its special attention on the grooming of SME sector of Sialkot and initiated series of programs for creating awareness among the SMEs about the fast changing business trends and modern technology enabling them to play their front foot role in enhancing the trade volume. We are actively considering arranging foreign tours for SMEs with the active cooperation of Commerce Ministry and Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) he said.
The SCCI President further said that the majority of local SMEs were running their business on self finance bases and without any government assistance adding that basically unique export culture of Sialkot is based on SME set up and there are very few big industrial units and by virtue this Sialkot is earning US 2 billion dollars through its exports annually.
The step was being taken for the capacity building of SMEs and enabling them to reduce production cost and to further improve the quality of their products to cope with the international markets easily he said. He said that maximum participation of SMEs would be ensured in trade delegations while seminars and workshops would also be arranged for creating awareness among the SMEs about the advancement of international markets.
The SCCI President was of the opinion that technology up-gradation, setting up of organised mini industrial estates and common facility cerntres are direly needed in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country. He said these mini industrial areas should be developed in outskirts of Sialkot for providing employment opportunities to industrial workers to their doorstep. The purposed mini estates would not only help in expanding the radius of industrial sector but also supportive in accelerating the pace of productivity he said.
The SCCI President further stated that vending industry is an integral part of export industry and this sector should be accommodate in propose mini estates for ensuring all facilities under one roof. He pointed out that there is only one small industrial estate in Sialkot and there is clear industrial need for well planned mini industrial estates with necessary infrastructure adding that setting up mini estates are important to cater the need of small, medium and micro level industry of the area.
He said Khud Kifalat Rozgar Trust had been initiated through philanthropic business community of Sialkot aimed at promote well-being of poor and the needy segment of the society. The concept of this project was to provide financial assistance to the people with limited financial resources to help them generate employment or business opportunities for themselves.
The financial assistance was being extended in the form of interest free loans Qarz-e-Hasna to be paid back to trust in pre-agreed instalments he said. Mansoor revealed that the project has introduced various schemes like new CNG rickshaw and Qarz-e-Hasna for liberation from loan taken on interest which has benefited the needy. We feel satisfied that the project contributing towards poverty alleviation and lowering the graph of unemployment he said.
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