Budget 2012 gave many incentives to industrialists, entrepreneurs –Devananda

The budget 2011/2012 had provided a gamut of concessions to the Industrialists and entrepreneurs in every field. The concessions regarding tariff on raw material, marketing facilities, both local and foreign, and provision of necessary technology, had been offered to the industrialists in the budget, stated Ministry Secretary Sivagnanasothy, speaking on behalf of Douglas Devananda, Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development, at the opening of newly constructed Auditorium at the Pallekelle Industrial Estate belonging to the Ceylon Industrial Development Board (IDB) on May 10. The Minister participated in the ceremony as the Chief Guest.

He said, the Government through his Ministry was taking steps to transform 5,000 small scale Industrialists into Medium Scale Industrialists and 500 Medium Scale Industrialists into Large Scale Industrialists as had been envisaged in ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ vision for the future programme.

The auditorium had been built entirely with the funds provided by the industrialists of Pallekelle Industrial Estate without any State contribution. They had been provided with a long felt shortcoming experienced.

Sivagnanasothy, reading the Minister’s message, said that in the course of Government’s endeavour for the conversion of 5,000 Small Scale Industrialists to Medium Scale Industrialists and 500 Medium Scale Industrialists to large Scale Industrialists, it was also committed to supply with the raw materials, lands, bank loan facilities and technology required by the industrialists, and all these facilities would be routed through, the Palmyrah Development Board, National Design Centre, National Crafts Council and Ceylon Industrial Development Board (IDB), functioning under the purview of his Ministry.

He also pointed out that the IDB was not an organization set up for mere collection of rentals. The institution had been designed to extend every facility to the deserving industrialists to improve their ventures. However, under the instructions of the minister the enhanced ground rental of 40 percent had been reduced to 20 percent.

The Secretary said that of the 18 Industrial Estates maintained by the IDB, Pallekele was one of the most developed Estates and there were 72 well established industries and out which 54 industries had performed extremely well. Consequent to a discussion the Minister had with Dr. P. B. Jayasundara, the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, steps were taken to provide the best of infrastructure facilities to four industrial Estates in Sri Lanka to make them model Industrial Estates for the whole world and Pallekelle was one of them, he added. At a request made by some industrialists steps would be soon taken by the Minister to carpet and light up interior roads and provide with drinking water to the Industrial Estate, he said.

Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake, said that steps were being taken by his Minister and the Ministry to further develop the Pallekelle Industrial Estate.

Srilal Kularatne, the President of Pallekelle Industrialist’s Association said that When Douglas Devananda became the Minister he listened to the problems of the Industrialists and took practical and meaningful steps to solve the problem faced by them and they were extremely thankful to the Minister for this gesture. He also said that all believed the Minister would take necessary steps to implement the recommendations of the report of the committee appointed by him.

K. A. Jayathilake, the Secretary of the Industrialist’s Association, proposed the vote of thanks.

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