LAHORE: Small and Medium Enterprises Develop­ment Authority (Smeda) CEO Hashim Raza on Saturday said that the new SME policy is ready but it needs suggestions from the private sector.

Speaking to the business community at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, he said that Prime Minister Imran Khan desired to facilitate SMEs in the country.

He said that Smeda was also ready to conduct business plan competitions, in collaboration with the LCCI.

LCCI President Mian Tariq Misbah said that approval of the National SME Policy Action Plan by the prime minister was a welcome sign, which would help resolve the issues being faced by the SMEs. He said the plan was a composition of comprehensive road map and recommendations for development of the important sector.

He appreciated the initiative for seeking input from all stakeholders in order to improve existing laws and regulations that are especially affecting the businesses at small and medium levels.

Misbah said the LCCI had more than 200 standing committees and one of them was for SMEs.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2021