SCCI welcomes package SMEs

PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz on Tuesday welcomed the federal government announcement about allocation of Rs50billion package for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

According to the fiscal support package, he said, the electricity bills would be waived off for next three months for small traders and commercial institutions up to connected load of 5 kilowatts and small industries up to connected load of 70 kilowatts. However, he demanded to include commercial institutions with connected load of 20 kilowatts and industrial units with connected load of 400 kilowatts into the government scheme.

In a statement issued here, the SCCI chief asked the government to take measures for provision of soft loans from commercial banks for corona hit small traders and industries, resolution of issues of exporters and importers on priority basis.

Maqsood Pervaiz expressed the hope that the business community hit by corona-lockdown would get relief to some extent after announcement of Rs50billion support package. However, he demanded of the federal and provincial governments to waive off all taxes, availability of interest-free loan, and rescheduled loans of commercial institutions.