Quetta: The Balochistan government on Saturday (August 13) distributed PKR 27 million to 42 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to uplift the agriculture sector, news sources reported. The funding was provided by the European Union under the Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) initiative.
Reportedly, the programme is being implemented by the International Trade Center (ITC) in partnership with the Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Under the scheme, PKR 500,000 to PKR 2.5 million have been provided to the SMEs based in Quetta, Pishin, Noshki, Kharan, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Panjgur, Kech, Zhob and Musakhel. In this regard, a ceremony was held in the Governor House in Quetta where the acting governor, Mir Jan Mohammad Khan Jamali, addressed the participants and highlighted the importance of promoting the SME sector. He said the program is essential for developing and uplifting entry-level enterprises and promoting inclusive growth. He also thanked the EU and PPAF for launching the GRASP project for small farmers and processing industries.
It is worth noting that the EU is one of the main donors of Pakistan’s agrarian economy. Pakistan is also one of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) countries that have preferential access to European markets.
Nauman Ahmad is an imaginative Pisces whose love for literature and nature is unparalleled. When he's not reading or hiking, he's sleeping and eating, which gives him plenty of energy for his next adventure.
