SMEDA formulates proposals for improving business ecosystem in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) launched recommendations for improving business ecosystem in the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The policy recommendations for improving business ecosystem to start, formalize and grow business in Peshawar has been prepared in collaboration with Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) through holding several consultative meetings with the stakeholders from both public and private sectors.

Those negotiations were called Public-Private Dialogues. The recommendations cover five thematic areas include legal (registrations, NoCs, taxes), Access to Finance, Entrepreneurship, Infrastructure and Trade including exports and import businesses.

The recommendations were launched during a function held here the other day with Special Assistant to KP CM on Information and Public Relations, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif as chief guest. A large number of the business community including chambers and associations and women entrepreneurs attended the function at large.

Through public-private dialogues, the stakeholders have recommended 10 policy recommendations.

The recommendations include the creation of an online repository with the help of academia of aspiring entrepreneurs and investors, so that they can be connected with one another for collaboration, demand-driven action by the academia and encouragement of aspiring entrepreneurs by both the public and private sectors.

The introduction of internship programmes for students where they can serve as internee in various industries and businesses to gain entrepreneurial experience and equipped them with regulatory, evaluation skills and technical knowledge.

The recommendations have also identified unavailability of industrial infrastructure including industrial plots. It said that the existing industrial zones are old which cannot accommodate emerging infrastructural needs, both in terms of space and allied facilities and has called for their revamping by improving facilities like roads, electricity, water and telecommunication facilities. It has also called for the exempting industrial zones of load-shedding and shortages of electricity and gas.

The recommendations have also called for improving awareness regarding relevant laws, rules and regulations and their simplification.

The document also proposed marking and linkages development, capacity buildings of SMEs, easy access to finance, ease in licensing, NoCs, registration, documentation, introduction of modern technology, technical & vocational skill and improving business ecosystem for women entrepreneurs.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023