ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Hammad Azhar on Saturday said that special focus has been given to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the budget 2020-21 to help job creation.

Addressing the post budget press conference, he said that the government introduced a relief package for SMEs sector to help reduce impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on it adding that the package would benefit around 0.8 million businesses.

Hammad said that the government strives hard to facilitate industries so that they do not lay off their employees and regenerate new jobs. He said the government also introduced relief package for construction sector as it would also help create job opportunities for common masses.

The country’s exports, he said, had witnessed considerable growth of 14 percent before Covid-19, however the pandemic hit this sector hard. He said that the government had earmarked Rs 50 billion for the utility bills payment of small businesses adding that the ministry would soon unveil sugar and industrial policies.