LAHORE
Provincial Minister for Finance, Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha with the consultation of PBIT Chairman and MS Small Industries approved members of policy group for SMEs development programme.
The provincial minister presided over third meeting of Small and Medium Enterprisers (SMEs) steering committee at Civil Secretariat Friday to approve framework for promoting small and medium scale enterprises on the pattern of SME Development Organisation KOSGEB of Turkey in Punjab.
The meeting was attended by Punjab Board of Investment and Trade Chairman Haroon Shaukat, Punjab Small Industries Corporation Managing Director Bilal Ahmed, Programme Director Saleem Arshad, Tevta Deputy General Manager Ayesha Qazi, Planning & Development Deputy Secretary and officers of Industries Department.
Punjab Small Industries Corporation Managing Director while giving briefing to the minister informed that a delegation of KOSGEB visited Punjab in March 2016 on the invitation of the chief minister and signed MoU with Punjab Small Industries Corporation. It was settled that KOSGEB would extend technical assistance to Punjab Small Industries Corporation for promoting small and medium scale business in the province.
In view of the agreement with KOSGEB, Entrepreneurship Development Programme was evolved. Under this programme, the Punjab government in collaboration with Turk organisation will impart training to young entrepreneurs, business centres will be set up, credit support programme will be introduced and management unit will be established for implementation of the programme in the province; however, before this, experts of sectors concerned will visit KOSGEB centre in Turkey and after reviewing SMEs Development Programme minutely, will plan formally for its implementation in the province.
Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha with the consultation of PBIT Chairman and MS Small Industries accorded approval to members of policy group for SMEs development programme and said that participation of SME experts from public and private sector would be ensured and prior to their departure for Turkey, TORs would be formally evolved so that this visit could be made successful.
Later, the provincial minister called on Asian Development Commission. Members of the commission included Deputy Director General Tomoyuki Kimura and Country Director Warner Liepach. The aim of the meeting was consultation on new financial schemes of Asian Development Bank.
Facilitation desk: Overseas Pakistanis Commission Vice-Chairperson Shaheen Khalid Butt inaugurated a Facilitation Desk for Overseas Pakistanis at LDA office, Johar Town, here Friday.
Director General LDA, Zahid Akhter Zaman, OPC Commissioner, Afzaal Bhatti, OPC DG Javed Iqbal Bokhari and relevant officers were also present on this occasion.
Overseas Pakistanis Commission Vice-Chairperson Shaheen Khalid Butt, Commissioner Afzaal Bhatti and DG LDA Zahid Akhter Zaman, while taking to media, informed that this facilitation desk would help expatriate Pakistanis in resolving their issues about LDA and their problems would be solved on priority basis.
They told that this state-of-the-art facilitation desk would provide detailed information about the sale and purchase of the properties and other relevant issues of Overseas Pakistanis. They said that Overseas Pakistanis were playing an active role in strengthening the national economy and OPC and LDA would provide maximum support in resolution of their issues. High-ups of OPC and LDA told that expatriate Pakistanis come to Pakistan for a short period; so solution of their problems in the shortest possible span of time is imperative and both organisations would fully coordinate with each other to resolve the issues faced by overseas Pakistanis. Director General LDA, briefed the VC and Commissioner OPC about the newly-established desk and facilities provided there.