October 28, 2006	Saturday	Shawwal 4, 1427

ISLAMABAD, Oct 27: The government is working for the development of SME sector by creating a facilitating environment and improvement of support services to enable the small and medium enterprises contribute in growth and development of the country.

This was stated by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz while chairing a meeting at the Prime Minister House here on Friday to review the performance of Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) and AiK Hunnar Ak Nagar (AHAN) project.

The prime minister said AHAN would contribute to alleviate poverty in rural and peri-urban areas by increasing non-farm income, jobs creation and diversification of sustainable income earning opportunities particularly for landless, wage earners and women.

He said to get maximum impact Smeda should focus on some priority sectors and add value to the goods produced in these sectors. The prime minister identified dairy and agro processing, marble and granite, gems and jewellery, furniture, surgical instruments, sports goods, leather, hunting and sporting and fisheries as the priority areas where the government’s intervention could lead to maximum jobs creation and poverty alleviation.

The prime minister commended the progress made and in various programmes launched under the project and directed the ministry of industries and special initiatives to broaden the coverage of the initiatives, link the projects to micro finance and skill development programmes.