The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Socrat Aman Rana has assured the representatives of Gems and Jewelery sector to utilize all available resources to modernize the country’s gems and jewelery sector according to the global standards.
He added that SMEDA will also collaborate with the association to develop programmes for technical and financial consultations.
He was speaking during a meeting with a 15-member delegation from the Lahore Division Sarafa and Jewelers Association (LDS&JA) and the Gold and Gems Art Promotion Council of Pakistan (GGAPCP) led by Muhammad Ahmed the other day.
Aman Rana informed the delegation that the current government is giving the highest priority to the development of SMEs, more so than previous governments. He mentioned that funds have been allocated at both provincial and Federal levels, which jewelers can access by fulfilling the necessary requirements. He further stated that SMEDA will provide strong support to make various training programs and easy loan schemes for jewelers, based on the association’s recommendations, feasible for the gems and jewelry sector as well.
Muhammad Ahmed, Chairman of the Lahore Division Sarafa & Jewelers Association and President of the Gold and Gems Art Promotion Council of Pakistan, said that India is earning billions of Dollars by adding value to its gems, while there are no international-standard labs available in our country, and the government should focus on this issue.
In response, SMEDA’s CEO assured that SMEDA will offer full support to the association in establishing an international lab. He also emphasised the urgent need for marketing and branding of the gems and jewellery sector both domestically and internationally, and SMEDA will work with the association to design various programs in this regard.
During the event, the Council’s Director of Strategic Research and E-commerce Wing, Nasir Arif Janjua, informed the SMEDA CEO that the council has already initiated the process of bringing the gems and jewellery sector into the domestic e-commerce market, with the first programme already completed.
SMEDA CEO informed the delegation that SMEDA is designing a comprehensive e-commerce programme that will be applicable to all sectors and the gems and jewellery sector can greatly benefit from this initiative.