Senate body to recommend enhancing SMEs funds in next budget

Lahore : Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production will recommend government to increase funds for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector in the next federal budget.

Committee Chairman Hidayatullah stated this in a meeting, held at Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA) office here on Tuesday.

The committee members, Mrs Khalida Parveen and Senator Taj Haider, SMEDA CEO Sher Ayub Khan, General Managers Muhammd Alamgir Chaudhry, Dr Naeem Rauf, Haroon Ahmed Khan, Shehryar Tahir, Nadia Jahangir and others attended the meeting.

The Senate committee was briefed about SMEDA projects-human resource development, research policy, planning, SMEs development projects, support to industry, industrial up-gradation and working of the Authority and asset of Pakistan Industrial Corporation.

The committee chairman asked SMEDA to expand its scope by bringing more
trades into its working paradigm, adding that there was dire need to establish modern technological industries in the country to get optimum benefits from the game-changer CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor).

He suggested that SMEDA should also open its offices in Gilgit-Baltistan and FATA to facilitate the small and medium industry there.He said that overall national development was not possible without empowerment of women population of Balochistan, and SMEs could play an effective role in poverty alleviation in that province.
He asserted that SMEDA also work proactively for up-gradation of
industries and value addition, citing that marble industry in Balochistan and KP needed to be developed.

Senator Hidayatullah was of the view that up-gradation of existing industrial units of the country and value addition was indispensable to cope with possible challenges arising from fast expansion of the industry under CPEC.

Senator Hidayatullahsaid that SMEDA should provide a platform to women entrepreneurs in Balochistan to enable them to expand their businesses.She mentioned that unique hand-made carpets were being prepared in Balochistan and carpet industry was needed to be developed, besides promoting tourism near coastal belt of the province.