PESHAWAR
The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has expressed displeasure over the lethargy of relevant government departments toward proper operationalization of the Investment Facilitation Centre/Web portal project.
Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad, president SCCI said that cooperation of the provincial government is vital to make IFC/web portal a successful project, which was jointly launched by the chamber and Smeda in financial assistance with UNDP at the chamber house.
He urged the provincial relevant departments to take serious steps for full operationalization of the IFC/Web portal, a project meant to attract investment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially to address business community issues under one-window operation or under one roof concept.
Hasnain Khurshid was talking to the UNDP delegation led by its National Technical Specialist Abdul Haseeb here at the chamber house on Thursday.
SCCI senior vice president Imran Khan Mohmand, former president Sherbaz Bilour, UNDP Enterprises Development Specialist Salman Ahmad Khan and Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Faisal Israr and others were present on the occasion.
The meeting agreed to hold meetings with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah along with relevant high government officials in order to take up issues that were hampering proper operationalization of IFC/Web portal.
The sitting thoroughly reviewed the hiccups and glitches in the way of better functioning of the IFC/Web portal project and proposed a number of suggestions to address them amicably.
The SCCI president told the meeting that despite the formal inauguration of the IFC/Web portal project, the government departments are showing lack of interest and non-seriousness to make such an important initiative, which is solely for attracting investment and resolving business community issues in K-P, a success.
“We are ready to cooperate at every level for better run and functional of this project, but it is essential to take measures at governmental level for this purpose”,
He praised the businessmen for providing employment opportunities as well as playing a pivotal role in economic development of the province.
Hasnain Khurshid urged the UNDP to provide financial assistance for development of small and medium enterprises and small-scale manufacturing units, which had adversely suffered by novel coronavirus pandemic restrictions.
Besides, he suggested launching a special skill training programme for industrial workers.
On the occasion, the UNDP representative Abdul Haseeb apprised the organisation of interventions in economic growth in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, especially newly merged districts (NMDs}, saying that UNDP has planned to launch a special project to provide training in different skills to overcome unemployment issues.
The SCCI president assured the visiting UNDP delegation of extending full cooperation and proposed holding a job fair in Peshawar.
The meeting fully agreed with SCCI chief proposal of organizing Job Fair and demanded pragmatic steps in this regard.
