ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday directed the authorities concerned to take measures for the capacity building of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their profitability.

Chairing a meeting of the steering committee of Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda), the prime minister said that steps to boost SMEs exports was inevitable for national economy.

The prime minister, who was briefed about the strategy for uplifting the SMEs, called them the engine of national development and instructed the immediate operationalisation of the Smeda Board.

PM forms steering body on Smeda

Highlighting the role of women in national economy, he asked the authorities concerned to include women entrepreneurs in the decision making related to the SMEs.

He also called for raising the standards of export products at par with international practices and engage the experts of international repute to uplift the SMEs sector.

The prime minister was also briefed about the measures to make SMEs profitable, their access to easy loans, promotion of SMEs exports, facilitation of women in SMEs and their cohesion with the climate change.

It was told that climate change would be tackled by introducing technology of manufacturing textile products using the recycled material.

The government would assist the SMEs to have an access to easy loans to make them start new business.

The meeting was told that the new policy for uplift of SMEs institutions would be formulated on the basis of latest statistics.

The meeting was attended by federal ministers Ahad Khan Cheema and Rana Tanveer Hussain, PM’s Coordinator Rana Ehsan Afzal, State Bank governor, FBR chairman, FPCCI president and members of the steering committee.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024