Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) under a network plan would establish 15 new Women Business Incubation Centre (WBIC) in various parts of the country and Azad Kashmir, disclosed Project Director Women Business Incubation Centre (WBIC) Aisha Amjad Mir.
Talking to Business Recorder here on Wednesday at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) she said that four Women Business Incubation Centres in Sindh, Five in Punjab, two in NWFP, two in Balochistan, one each in Azad Kashmir and Northern Areas would be established.
The step was being taken under the special directives of Ministry of Commerce and Work on the programme would be initiated in near future, she added. The federal government has given the task to Smeda for setting up first of its kind Women Business Incubation Centre (WBIC) for promoting women entrepreneurship and catering their business needs under one window and WBIC was successfully functioning in Lahore and a large number of businesswomen are benefiting, she added.
The centre was addressing the women entrepreneurs' specific development needs along with providing secure space in accordance with their business, she said. Aisha said that the same model and facilities would be implemented in proposed WBICs adding that the basic concept of setting up of these centres was to help businesswomen in developing their business skill, which will enable them to compete effectively in today's market.
Aisha further said that the WBIC would provide "hand-on-support to women entrepreneurs (WEs) and they would be offered to rent office space for establishing presence in market and to display their products in display centre on nominal charges.
We are making adequate efforts for extending all possible support and guidance to WEs in exploring new business opportunities and their capacity building, she said. Aisha said that businesswomen are fully able to flourish and run their business freely and in this regard business support services and business exploring opportunities were being provided to them.