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by Nadira Gunatilleke

The Ministry of Rural Economy will set up ten new economic centres in the country at a cost of Rs. 7,000 million. These centres will be linked to the Meegoda Economic Centre, Finance Deputy Minister and Rural Economy Minister Bandula Gunawardena said.

He said that the Meegoda Economic Centre built at a cost of Rs. 700 million will be open for business by the end of next month. The Meegoda Centre is the first economic centre to be set up in Sri Lanka for the three commercial sectors of export, wholesale exchange and retail trade. This will also be the first economic centre in Sri Lanka to market all food items at one place.

He was speaking during a media tour to the Meegoda Economic Centre, Panaluwa Industrial Park and Galagedara Sales Promotion Centre.

Minister Gunawardena said that the Meegoda Economic Centre was built at the most suitable location, opposite the Meegoda railway station on the Avissawella-Colombo Road. The location is ideal because it is centred by infrastructure of a railway line and a network of developed highways. The centre consists of about 83 shops, cool rooms and large storage facilities. The economic centre will be run by a Trust. This system will prevent any political influence, he said.

The Embilipitiya Economic Centre will also be open for business activities next month. More economic centres will be set up at Maradagahamula, Nuwara Eliya, Pathahewaheta, Bakamoona, Weerawila, Wellawaya, Hingurakgoda, Ranna and Bibile. The Maradagahamula Economic Centre will exchange bulk rice stocks while the Nuwara Eliya Economic Centre will be allocated for vegetables and Embilipitiya Economic Centre for bananas.

The economic centres will generate employment opportunities for a large number of people. The congestion at the Colombo Economic Centre will ease to a great extent after the new economic centre is opened.

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