Startup Guide Issue 16 | Page 16

MI NI STRY OF I NDUSTRI ES & PRODUCTI ON P a k i s t a n r a nk s l ow i n t he ‘ Ea s e of Doi ng Bus i ne s s I nde x’ , pa r t i c ul a r l y i n t he c a s e of ma n uf a c t ur i ng i ndus t r i e s . S ome s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s who ha v e v e nt ur e d i n ma n uf a c t ur i ng i ndus t r i e s ha v e f ound una bl e t o s us t a i n. The bi ndi ng c ons t r a i nt s f a c e d b y t he s e e nt e r pr i s e s ma y be s t udi e d b y t he Mi ni s t r y . The upc omi ng I ndus t r i a l P ol i c y c oul d a ddr e s s s ome of t he s e c ons t r a i nt s . The pol i c y c a n a l s o i nt r oduc e i nc e nt i v e s t o pr omot e e nt r y of s oc i a l e nt r e pr e ne ur s i n s ma l l - s c a l e ma n uf a c t ur i ng i ni t i a t i v e s . PROVI NCI AL PLANNI NG & DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENTS The s e de pa r t me nt s c oul d e s t a bl i s h pr ov i nc i a l c e nt r e s f or s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e de v e l opme nt on t he l i ne s of f e de r a l g ov e r nme nt . The s e c e nt r e s c a n t he n a l l oc a t e a nd di s bur s e f undi ng t hr oug h Ann ua l De v e l opme nt Pr og r a mme t o pr omot e s t a r t - up s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s a nd c onduc t c ha l l e ng e f und c ompe t i t i ons . The pr ov i nc i a l pl a nni ng de pa r t me nt s c a n a l s o l i a i s e wi t h ot he r bodi e s r e s pons i bl e f or S ME de v e l opme nt i n t he pr ov i nc e t o i nc l ude pr ov i s i ons f or s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s . The s e de pa r t me nt s s houl d a l s o c ons i de r i nc or por a t i ng t he r ol e of s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s i n pr ov i nc i a l g r owt h s t r a t e g i e s a nd how t he s e e nt e r pr i s e s c a n he l p i n t he pur s ui t of S DGs . BOARD OF I NVESTMENT BOI ha s t he ma nda t e t o e nc our a g e i nf l ow of f or e i g n di r e c t a nd por t f ol i o i n v e s t me nt i n Pa k i s t a n. Ve r y l i t t l e f or e i g n i n v e s t me nt ha s be e n obs e r v e d t o be di r e c t e d t owa r ds s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s . Howe v e r , pa s t s ur v e y s ha v e i ndi c a t e d t he wi l l i ng ne s s of Pa k i s t a ni di a s por a a br oa d t o i n v e s t i n s oc i a l c a us e s . Cur r e nt l y , no i nc e nt i v e f or i n v e s t i ng i n s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s i s pr ov i de d unde r t he i n v e s t me nt pr omot i on r e g i me . Thi s ma y be r e v i s i t e d a nd a ppr opr i a t e c ha ng e s t o i n v e s t me nt pol i c y ma y be ma de wi t h a v i e w t o e nc our a g e i n v e s t me nt b y Pa k i s t a ni di a s por a i n s oc i a l c a us e . F or e xa mpl e , di a s por a i n v e s t i ng l oc a l l y ma y be a l l owe d t a x hol i da y f or a c e r t a i n t i me pe r i od i f a s pe c i f i c pe r c e nt a g e of t he i r r a w ma t e r i a l a nd i nt e r me di a t e i nput s a r e pr oc ur e d t hr oug h l oc a l s oc i a l COMPETI TI ON COMMI SSI ON OF PAKI STAN T he Commi s s i on ma y c a r r y out a de t a i l e d r e g ul a t or y i mpa c t a s s e s s me nt ( RI A) f or s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s wor k i ng i n s e c t or s wi t h hi g h s oc i a l i mpa c t . Thi s wi l l a l l ow a n a s s e s s me nt of t he or i g i ns of r e g ul a t or y bur de n a nd how muc h t hi s c os t s t he s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s i n mone t a r y t e r ms . S uc h a n e x e r c i s e wi l l g o a l ong wa y i n r e duc i ng t he c os t of doi ng bus i ne s s f or s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s . MI NI STRY OF I NFORMATI ON TECHNOLOGY AND TELECOMMUNI CATI ON The MOI TT s uppor t s t he Na t i ona l I nc uba t i on Ce nt r e s a c r os s Pa k i s t a n. The n umbe r of s t a r t - ups us i ng t he f a c i l i t i e s of NI Cs ha s g r own i n r e c e nt mont hs . I t i s t he r e f or e pr opos e d t ha t t he Mi ni s t r y t hr oug h pe r ha ps I GNI TE f a c i l i t y c oul d he l p i n e s t a bl i s hi ng de di c a t e d i nc uba t or a nd a c c e l e r a t or pr og r a mme s f or s oc i a l e nt e r pr i s e s . Al s o, NI Cs ne e d t o be ope ne d i n s e c ond- t i e r c i t i e s or HEC c oul d pr ov i de s uppor t t o publ i c s e c t or uni v e r s i t i e s f or r e pl i c a t i on of NI Cs i n t he s e c i t i e s . PROVI NCI AL GOVERNMENT SOCI AL W ELFARE DEPARTMENTS T he s e of f i c e s i n a l l pr ov i nc e s ha v e l ong t e r m pol i c i e s a nd budg e t s t o ma k e i nt e r v e nt i ons whi c h c oul d i mpr ov e t he s t a nda r d of l i v i ng i n s ome of t he poor e s t