Financial experts for promoting MSMEs

ISLAMABAD, Nov 23 (APP):Financial experts here on Thursday stressed the need for promoting microfinance and small and medium enterprises (MSME) for sustainable and inclusive growth
Addressing the 11th Pakistan Microfinance, Small and Medium Enterprises Forum 2017, they said that the growth in MSME would help in economically empowering the masses.
The event was organized by SHAMROCK Conferences International and it was attended by experts and regulators, who deliberated upon broad-based solutions for expanding financial inclusion and accelerating growth in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) and Microfinance sectors.
The theme of the conference was “nurturing entrepreneurship and financial inclusion to empower the masses”.
Over the past ten years, this annual forum has evolved into a powerful platform where the long-standing issues of the sector are debated for achieving tangible results.
Opinion formers and professionals praised the new SME Finance Road-Map prepared by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
Addressing the forum Executive Director, Development Finance Group Syed Samar Hasnain said that the SME finance road map will serve as a guideline and framework for broader financial inclusion, to empower SMEs especially small-scale entrepreneurs.
SBP is committed to providing all out support for financial access to 17 percent of SMEs with SME Finance, at least 17 percent of the then private sector credit by 2020.
Likewise, by 2020, a target of 50 percent of adult population having a bank account has also been set under NFIS headline target.
Chairman of SHAMROCK Group, Menin Rodrigues appreciated the overwhelming response given by the leading institutions and key stakeholders of the Microfinance and SME sectors over the years.