Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) can provide funds for establishing laboratory for testing marble and stone products.
This was stated by provincial chief of Smeda Ejaz Majeed during a meeting with All Pakistan Marble Industries Association (APMIA) Sindh-Balochistan at PIDC House on Tuesday. Office-bearers and members of the association were also present on the occasion.
He said that the Authority has recently obtained a financial assistance of 12 million dollars from Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country.
"The Smeda can finance the purchase of equipment for testing laboratory under development common facility (CFC) for marble processing industry, he added.
Majeed said: "The association can arrange land and building and operation of this laboratory, while Smeda can provide machinery for this laboratory."
He said the Authority has sent two proposals to the Ministry of Industry for providing equipment to two associations under CFC fund.
FINANCING FOR BUSES: Majeed pointed out that the Authority has arranged financing and duty exemption for about 2000 public transport buses in the country of which 500 buses are for Karachi alone.
Earlier, association's members highlighted the problems facing them during mining of stones.
They said that mining was the most difficult task for them as there was no support from the provincial government and their safety was not ensured in mining areas, especially in interior of Sindh and Balochistan.
They said the marble industry has made an investment of 20 million dollars in upgrading and processing and can bring in more funds if the availability of stones is ensured and the safety of their equipment in mining area is guaranteed.
They pointed out that obtaining a lease was the most difficult job due to lacunae in rules and regulations.