Revitalising businesses: Rs40m earmarked for SMEs in K-P, FATA

PESHAWAR: Rs40 million have been earmarked for 58 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from different parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and FATA under the Economic Revitalisation of K-P and FATA (ERKF) Project funded by a multi-donor trust fund. The fund has so far approved 182 grants of Rs125 million to businesses affected from conflict in the region. While talking to the media, ERKF Project Manager Sarmad H Khan said that the number of grants under the project will touch 300 by the end of June next year. The project has resulted in the revival of silk producing units in Swat, and the marble industry in K-P and FATA, and supports other sectors such as furniture and crafts etc. The project is funded under a $20 million grant of executed by the World Bank through the SME Development Authority, the Department of Industries, and the K-P and FATA secretariats.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2012.