Desk set up to assist traders with grants

PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) has established a help desk to facilitate the business community with the financial grant for promotion/expansion through value addition of the textile industry.

SCCI President Fazal Moqeem Khan and vice president Shehryar Khan inaugurated the desk on Monday.Chartered accountant Muhammad Ahmad Shahid, Syed Ejaz Ali Shah, Kamal Mehmood and officials of Smeda were present on the occasion.

The matching grant is being provided under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of the Ministry of Commerce.It is simplemented by Smeda, aimed at providing financial assistance to more than 1000 stitching units to revive the textile industry. Fazal Moqeem lauded the announcement of a matching grant for industrial stitching units, terming it as a milestone initiative toward the revival and development of the textile industry.

The textile industry is on the decline under the prevailing circumstances, the SCCI chief noted, stating that several industrial units were closed which triggered unemployment in the province.Fazal Moqeem stressed the need for the announcement of similar grants for other sectors, including CNG and petroleum to reactivate the business, industry and trade.

He said employment opportunities would be created through the promotion of economic activities and industrial growth.The SCCI president asked the business community to benefit from the matching grant for expansion and improvement of business and industry.

He said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should also take such an initiative to keep the wheel of industry spinning in the province.Fazal Moqeem demanded the government to announce a special fiscal relief package for sick and non-operational textile and other industrial units.Later, officials briefed the SCCI chief about the matching grant.