Unisame To Submit Proposals At Round Table Conference by MoP&R

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) invited the attention of the host Professor Ahsan Iqbal federal minister Planning & Reforms (MoP&R) of Round Table Conference (RTC) scheduled on 17th October 2016 to discuss ” Prioritizing growth of SMEs to achieve sustainable growth ” to the urgent need to comprehend the major impediments to the growth of the micro to medium sized sector and include it in the agenda.

The vision 2025 envisioned by his ministry plans creating jobs, increasing exports and increasing productivity and efficiency of the sector and efforts of the ministry are much appreciated by UNISAME which is confident and feels assured of brighter days ahead.

President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said first of all it is very important that the stakeholders know the exact size of the sector to plan for them. The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) needs to conduct a censor/survey to know the strength, line of trade and location of each micro, small and medium sized entrepreneur.

SMEDA needs to be strengthened and put under the cabinet division for direct and prompt actions and to save unnecessary exercise of going through the ministry of industries. All over the world the SME promotion and development institutions work directly under the chief executive of the country.

Thaver as chairman of the capacity building, working group of the Technical Committee of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) which is a shared leadership project of World Bank, Ministry of Finance and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has proposed capacity building of the primary sector from grass roots level. The primary sector is the source of raw material and needs the best attention of the policy makers.

Those MSMEs who are in value addition need to be facilitated with access to finance, uninterrupted energy supply, trade intelligence, technical and marketing support and logistics.

Thaver pointed out that modern banking, insurance and leasing facilities are very essential for growth. The banking, insurance and leasing systems need to be invigorated and revamped on modern scientific lines to serve trade industry and commerce.

Needless to state that transfer of technology, technical education, marketing support and logistics which includes collateral management, risk management and information technology are crucial tools for sustainable growth.

UNISAME experts have also urged Professor Ahsan Iqbal to include the micro sector in the agenda for discussion as the micro finance banks are charging high markup which is not affordable.

The UNISAME chief has reiterated the need for certain important measures such as industrial estates in all the outskirts of the cities and rural areas. SME chambers of commerce and industry, ombudsman, MSME liaison committees and facilitation centres.

There is urgent need to reduce cost of doing business and make doing business easy.
The need for conducive environment is the key to making life easy for the entrepreneurs.

Since energy is a very important factor in production the alternate energy systems/devices must be subsidized to promote it.

The SME Bank must be revived promptly and also the Exim Bank must begin functioning to facilitate the sector. The facility of trade with Iran and banking facilities are keenly awaited as business with Iran is at a standstill.

The Geographical Indication (GI) protection draft is completed but needs prompt approval of the cabinet for legislation as most of the GI items are produced and processed for value addition by the SMEs and this would promote exports.

The MoP&R also needs to study specifically to promote the import substitution items to lessen the burden of imports and needs to avail the Chinese collaboration offer for joint ventures and collaboration.

Posted in: Press Releases