Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will be promoted through a coordinated and tailored mechanism, as these have a key role to play in the economic turnaround, said the newly appointed Punjab Industries Department Secretary Irfan Ali.
While talking to the business community at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Saturday, he said the development of local brands and human resource would be the prime areas for strengthening the SME sector that had been facing multiple challenges for the last five years. “I will hold monthly meetings with LCCI to improve liaison as well as listen to the business community’s problems,” he said, adding that government was alive to the private sector’s issues and doing the needful.
Though energy shortage and law and order kept the economy hostage during the last five years, the Punjab chief minister had a clear vision on the economic issues, which would help resolve their problems at the earliest, he said.
The secretary, however, urged the business community to prepare recommendations to boost economic activities in the province saying the government would implement all their practical proposals without any delay.
LCCI President Farooq Iftikhar said, “Business community understands that the Punjab government is moving in the right direction and its seriousness on business issues will yield positive results.”
He, however, urged the industries secretary that all stakeholders be taken on board while preparing industry-related policies, and asserted that industrial estates be exempted from load shedding of gas and electricity to meet the local market and export targets.
He also expressed concerns over undue interference of Social Security Department, EOBI and Labor Departments and said tax refund claims were unduly delayed.
Calling for establishment of more technical institutions, he said existing technical institutions were not competing with the fast growing population of the province.