SMEs ARE DISAPPOINTED WITH SMEDA: Thaver….Financial Daily 14/04/2021

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) expressed dissatisfaction and disappointment on the inability of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) in comprehending the actual requirements of the sector and not being able to advocate the cause of the underprivileged majority sector.
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said it has been years that we have been trying to explain what the sector needs and how it could be uplifted rapidly but our efforts have been in vain.
He said time and again we have explained basic requirements of the sector and urged SMEDA to impress upon the government to facilitate, support, help, encourage and motivate the sector but SMEDA lacks the guts to assert itself and is cowed down by the bureaucracy.
It has wasted time in meetings and committees instead of following its own agenda.
The memorandum of association and articles of association give clear guidelines. The members of the board of directors (BOD) are not given sufficient time to speak on the real issues and the BOD’s time is wasted on frivolous matters.
UNISAME has given road map, proposals and high impact steps such as steps to fill the technological gap, urging pay as you earn schemes, setting up value addition bureau, establishing an SME gallery for international exposure of SME wares. arranging joint ventures and collaborations with China.
UNISAME also urged setting up of SME police liaison committee ( SME -PLC ) for collective protection of SME units.
Other suggestions for ease of doing business and cost of doing business have also been not taken seriously.
Even SMEDA is ill equipped and lacks sufficient personnel to outreach the SMEs.
The UNISAME chief said immediately after Ramzan we will seek time with prime minister (PM) Imran Khan and urge him to set up a separate ministry for this majority sector and give it the priority it deserves. This sector has suffered the most in each wave of the pandemic and if not given the support and help it will shrink and suffer worst in the coming days. It is high time the government rolls up its sleeves and sharpens its tool and speeds up for real focused attention for uplift of the beaten sector.

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