President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said one of the recommendations of the SME Policy is preparation of an annual report on SME development by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) to be presented to parliament.

He said SMEDA is duty bound to report on initiatives and steps undertaken for the promotion and facilitation of SMEs during the period 2010-2011 covering its activities in creating conducive environment, business development support services, access to finance and infrastructure development.

He said the NCSMEs is entrusted with the task of developing a strategic plan for SMEs, monitoring, reviewing and suggesting improvements and corrective measures in SME policy, approving comprehensive mechanism for the implementation process, providing a platform for advocacy, develop and articulate recommendations for the benefit of SMEs, review annual reports on SMEs.

He thanked the Senior Minister for directing SMEDA to reactivate the NCSMEs and urged him to pursue his own directions without loss of time and call an urgent meeting of the members NCSMEs and reassign the important task given to the NCSMEs to implement the SME Policy 2007 in letter and spirit.

He said it is pertinent to note that the members of the NCSMEs comprise of federal and provincial ministers of industries, Governor State Bank of Pakistan, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue, Federal Secretaries of Industries, Finance, Commerce, Economic Planning, Presidents of Chamber of Commerce and Industries of Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta and President of UNISAME and can contribute a great deal in rapid promotion of SMEs which is the need of the economy.

Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011