President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Zahild Latif Malik has said that the promotion of SMEs and women entrepreneurs was top on agenda of SCCI. The SCCI President suggested that interest free loans should be provided to the business community for the import of new technology.
Talking to a group of journalists on Sunday he said that special attention had been focused by taking all possible measures on resolving the problems being faced by the business community including SMEs and women entrepreneurs of Sialkot top on priority basis.
The business community was facing serious shortage of skilled and semi-skilled workforce, which is hindering production activities in this export hub, he said. The SCCI President disclosed that in order to cope with shortage of skilled workforce a Technology University is being established for producing skilled and semi-skilled workforce in accordance with the requirements and need of the local industry.
The SCCI President further said that "Knowledge City" spreading over 500 acres of land would had been planned near Sambrial in which different universities, including National University of Science and Technology (NUST) and National Textile University Faisalabad will set their campuses.
The SCCI President further added the government should provide special incentives to encourage the export of high priority sectors like textile and clothing, surgical and dental instruments, leather products, sports goods, footwear, gems and jewelry and furniture.
Similarly, potential sectors like surgical implants, composite products, light engineering products, printing and packing, sports wear, fitness apparel, gloves and musical instruments etc, needed special focus and facilities to perform optimally, he added.