The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) completed its ten years of existence recently. SMEDA has assisted in investments to the tune of Rs 15.34 billion during these ten years.
These investments were made possible through lending schemes designed for various small and medium industries like textiles, garments, carpets, leather and footwear, jewellery etc. SMEDA, in spite of having a very small employee base of just 130 professionals, has strived hard to help maximum number of SMEs in the country.
The sectors to which assistance has been provided by the development authority in partnership with other stake holders has gone a long way in creating new job opportunities and development of trade and industry.
The policy environment before SMEDA was established, was not favourable to growth of industries particularly SMEs. But since its creation the development authority has been making every effort to create a favourable situation for SMEs.
It tasted success with approval of the first ever SME policy of Pakistan last year. Sometimes government policies are kept on hold due to which they become outmoded. To avoid this, SMEDA suggested of an implementation plan and a monitoring mechanism which was affixed to the SME policy, and rests on creation of national and provincial committees on SMEs at federal and provincial levels respectively.