SCCI welcomes Rs 50 billion support package for SMEs

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz has welcomed the federal government announcement of Rs50billion support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

According to the fiscal support package, he said the electricity bills would be waived off for next three months for small traders and commercial institutions up to connected load of 5 kilowatt and small industries up to connected load of 70 kilowatt. However, he demanded to include commercial institutions with connected load of 20 kilowatt and industrial units with connected load of 400 kilowatt into the government scheme.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, SCCI chief asked the government to take measures for provision of soft loans from commercial banks for corona hit small traders and industries, resolution of issues of exporters and importers on priority basis.

Maqsood Pervaiz expressed the hope that the business community hit by corona-lockdown would get relief to some extent after announcement of Rs50billion support package. However, he demanded of the federal and provincial governments to waive off all taxes, availability of interest-free loan, and rescheduled loans of commercial institutions.

He also sought the phase-wise reopening of bazaars and markets under comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOPs) to revive the business and economic activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He urged the provincial government to affix timings for opening of markets and shops in consultation with the traders to avoid further financial losses to businesses in the province, because, he said for grocery stores and shops selling daily use items to close at 4pm was an economic murder of traders.

He warned that traders can no longer afford any lockdown, adding that instead closing shops earlier, the government should gradually open businesses and ensure that the SOPs to curb the coronavirus are followed.

The chamber president demanded special incentive package for industrialists, importers, exporters and small traders, who had been hit hard by the lockdown, imposed to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. He also demanded reopening of Pak-Afghan sharing border for trade and economic activities.