The National Productivity Organisation (NPO) and Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Saturday after a seminar on 'Productivity enhancement through ICT-M as Productivity tool in SME Sector'. Chief of NPO, Saquib Mohiuddin, and President of KCCI, Khalid Firoz, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.
THE MOU SAYS: On realising the pressing need for higher productivity of industries, specially small and medium enterprises (SME), through application of modern technology and techniques as a mechanism for improving their competitiveness, the KCCI and NPO, after considering mutual benefit in co-operation with each other, have agreed as follows:
1) NPO and KCCI shall encourage and promote, in conformity with the rules and regulations, enforced in their respective organisations, co-operation between the two organisations and adopt the measures (as given below) to facilitate the promotion and development of industry in Karachi with special reference to SMEs.
2) NPO WILL RENDER SERVICE TO KARACHI MEMBERS IN THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
(a) Training and consultancy, (b) research and development, (c) Business development and support services, (d) to provide funds to KCCI and its member-entrepreneurs.
(3) NPO will assist KCCI in improving competitiveness of products and help remove technological backwardness and introduce modern management techniques.
(4) It will provide information, covering all productivity issues including information on PNQ indicators.
(5) It will help generate funds either direct or through other sources for the development and growth of SMEs.
(6) KCCI will help the NPO in making its productivity movement in Karachi a success and help realise its objectives.
(7) KCCI will mobilise the members of the business community in general and its members in particular for participation in NPO organised programmes, seminars workshops etc.
(8) KCCI, which has a well-equipped research and development cell, would share information with NPO on mutual dimensional issues relating to trade and industry.
(9) KCCI and NPO will hold regular meetings to monitor the progress and implementation of this MoU and to explore the new avenues of co-operation for the mutual benefit of both.
Addressing participants of the seminar, Saquib said that productivity of Pakistan labour in weaving sector is around 60 percent lower as compared to other countries. He said under such conditions Pakistan can not compete with India, China and other countries of the world.
He advised business community to pay full attention to improve labour productivity and improve labour working conditions to get better results.
He informed the business community that NPO would be organising training programmes, workshops and seminars for the benefit of business community and manpower. So far it has conducted 119 training programmes in 24 cities.
He said that NPO charges nothing from the participants and the companies for these seminars. NPO also sends people on training abroad free of cost, he added.
Saquib said that NPO is working under Ministry of Industries, and added that a summary has been sent to Prime Minister for approval to make this organisation an independent body
The independent organisation will be governed by a board of directors. The board of directors will have representatives from both public and private sectors, he added. Welcoming the guests KCCI, President said that in Pakistan, the SMEs are considered to be one of the drivers of economic growth in view of their paramount importance in the national economy.