PESHAWAR – Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) president Fuad Ishaq has welcomed the Enterprise Development Fund (EDF) for the terrorism and natural calamities-affected small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The SCCI chief urged the International Organisation Migration (IOM) to ensure direct release of grant to SMEs under simple procedure, especially provision of maximum share for women in this grant for their economic prosperity and progress.
Fuad Ishaq made these remarks during a meeting with the EDF Outreach team from IOM headed by Manager Livelihood Ozz Azzi held here at chamber house on Friday. Other members of the visiting team include National Program Manager Ahsan Zia, Team Lead Majida Sultana and Programme Assistant Syed Awais.
The IOM Manager Ozz Azzi briefed the meeting about EDF and informed that grant up to Rs5 million will be given to more than 120 SMEs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He informed that funds will be available for companies and business community affected by war or natural disasters in various trades, aimed at reviving and promoting these businesses.
Apart from restoration of businesses, Azzi said that financial assistance would be provided for provision of basic necessities, improvement in basic infrastructure, and social economic uplift of war or calamity-hit areas. He also requested the SCCI to cooperate in the provision of grant to registered SMEs.