Karachi:The Capacity Building Working Group (CBWG) under the Technical Committee (TC) of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) met on the 17th January 2019 at the Learning and Resource Centre of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and in pursuance of its earlier recommendations asked SBP and SMEDA to follow up matters with the government.
The establishment of SME Development Fund, Supply Chain Financing, Centre of Excellence, SME Zones in the country, Capacity Building of SMEDA and collaboration of SBP in the capacity building of SMEDA requires fast implementation of its recommendations which were approved in principle by the Steering Committee of SBP and forwarded to ministry of finance.
Additional Director Imran Ahmed, Senior joint Director Akhtiar Ahmed, Joint Director Azam Quraishy alongwith other officials of SBP SME department, provincial chief of SMEDA Mukesh Kumar, Senior bankers and Ali Sabih training consultant actively participated.
Imran Ahmed who co-chaired the meeting assured the CBWG of full support of SBP and his entire team. He apprised the group of steps taken by SBP for the benefit of the sector from time to time for awareness and developing access to finance and educating SMES about schemes of SBP.
Chairman CBWG Zulfikar Thaver said the sector expects fast track implementation of the agenda for its uplift and it is incumbent upon the policy makers to ensure that the institutions for the promotion and development of the sector work on war footings to enable the sector meet the challenges. The sector cannot afford slow implementation as the challenges are many.
The CBWG’s recommendations for the early functioning of the Exim Bank, the early decision on the SME Bank revival to make it really beneficial for the sector, the requirement of low premium Export Credit Guarantee, a strong SMEDA, SME technical institute, an urgently required SME export promotion bureau and establishment of Centre of Excellence were re -endorsed by the CBWG.
Ali Sabih explained the benefits of training and the need for CoE in banks which the group agreed and endorsed his views and suggested to facilitate him.