DELAY IN SETTING UP SME INSTITUTIONS CRITICIZED…The Financial Daily 13/2/21

KARACHI: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has
voiced the requirements of the micro to medium sized sector and lamented the long
delay in setting up of much needed SME institutions in a meeting of SME Council on
11th February 2021, says a Press release.
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said unless and until the SME Institute is set
up to fill the technological gap in the SME units they will remain behind.
He said the SME agro-based industries need to modernize on fast-track basis to
keep pace with the global challenges. The government needs to recognize this fact and
implement the setup as promised in the SME policy 2007.
The SME Institute could also educate the SME units on value addition which is the
need of the hour.
Secondly it was pointed out that the SMEs need marketing support to exhibit
their products and services globally and a required portal is very necessary to serve as an SME gallery to present goods made in Pakistan.
Thirdly a bureau like Better Business Bureau as in USA is needed to promote trust, credibility and confidence in the supplier, shipper and exporter that if goods found inferior to the contract their replacement or refund is ensured with compensation.
Besides these institutions the sector needs an SME Liaison Committee (SME-LC) just
like the CPLC to curb crime as the crime is increasing in SME markets, industrial areas
and warehouses. The sector is being victimized by the crime mafia in broad daylight and the law enforcing agencies are not as active as required.
The meeting also urged the Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority
(PSQCA) to update all specifications and standard manuals of crops and pulses to
make them real.
The participants questioned the delay in setting up the office of SME Ombudsman promised in the SME policy 2007 and urged its urgent establishment in the best interest of the MSME majority sector
Finally, the council urged the government to strengthen SMEDA to enable it to carry
out the implementation of the promises on fast track on war footings.

Posted in: Press Releases