LAHORE, Dec 27: Federal Minister for Industries Liaqat Jatoi has said that a viable strategy will be designed to develop a network of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to generate employment opportunities across the country.

In a press statement at the Lahore airport before leaving for Islamabad on Friday, the minister said the gap between haves and have nots had expanded to an alarming point and needed to be narrowed down. He said the creation of new employment opportunities is the ultimate solution to the problem. He asked the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) to join his hands to accomplish the task.

Earlier in a meeting with Smeda chief executive officer Iqbal Mustafa, the minister said Smeda must work to improve the human resources. He also asked Smeda management to bridge the coordination gap with the trade bodies including the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He said the LCCI members in a meeting had spoke much about Smeda and SME Bank policies which showed that there was a wide communication gap between these organizations.

He said that he would also arrange a full-day meeting with Smeda to take a cognizance of its performance. The economic development of the country demanded a close working relation between government and the private sector. He said that no industrial revolution could be undertaken without sincere and serious involvement of the business community. He said that his ministry would always help to solve the problems of the businessmen and industries.

In a presentation about Smeda’s role, services, performance and its future activities, Iqbal Mustafa told the minister that Smeda represents the interest of SMEs at various levels of policy formulation as well as act as a key resource and information base to facilitate SMEs.

He said Smeda employees strength had reached from 56 to 114 during last five years. He, however, said that the government reduced Smeda’s budget allocation from last two respective years’ budget of Rs100 million to Rs80 million.

He said Smeda has so far moved 107 enterprises and projects into execution phase, while over 4,000 individuals and SMEs have benefited from the authority’s help desk services. He also said that more than 6,400 individuals have received training in 132 training programmes and workshops.

He also told the minister that Smeda ordinance was promulgated on August 12 this year and its board of directors had so far held two meetings which approved its rules and budget, key areas of activity and the confirmation of the CEO’s appointment.