AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Lahore, August 06, 2013 (PPI-OT): A meeting was held between Mr. Yaseen Anwar, Governor State Bank of Pakistan and Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Sukhera, CEO Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) on August 1, 2013 at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Karachi. Senior officials from the two organizations were also present during the meeting. Areas of mutual interest and prospective collaboration were discussed at length between the two organizations.
The Governor shared his views on the importance and depth of the hitherto untapped SME market and the importance of financial inclusion for catalyzing SME growth and new enterprise creation. He also highlighted the need of financing institutions, in terms of their capacity to assess SMEs credit needs and said that joint programs focusing on enhancing capacity of banks to extend credit to SMEs as well as making SMEs bankable should be developed.
The effective role of the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Small and Rural Enterprises implemented by the State Bank of Pakistan also came under discussion. CEO SMEDA thanked the Governor for the recent inclusion of SMEDA on the Technical Committee on Credit Guarantee Scheme and said that this would bring demand side issues to the table in a more effective manner and would result in an enhanced access to finance for the SME sector. CEO SMEDA appreciated SBP’s recently developed framework for e-payment gateway that would revolutionize e-commerce in the country and also shared views of the stakeholders on the same.
In order to strengthen the long standing institutional relationship between the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and SMEDA, the two organizations have vowed to work together to create synergy for unleashing the true potential of SMEs through provision of demand driven financial products and services using.
For more information, contact:
Liaqat Ali Gohar
DGM (Admin. and PR)
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA)
6th floor, LDA Plaza, Egerton Road, Lahore
Tel: 111-111-456
Fax: (042) 6304926
Email: helpdesk@smeda.org.pk
Website: www.smeda.org.pk