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| Tuesday, 23 March 2004 |
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Ruhuna Development Bank, NERD collaboration: Loans for Southern entrepreneurs to boost SME sector by Sudarshana Perera Ruhunu Development Bank in collaboration with the National Engineering Research and Development Centre of Sri Lanka (NERD) in Ja-Ela will implement a loan scheme and technology transfer awareness programs for Small and Medium enterprises in the Southern Province. This new initiative by the regional bank to provide financial facilities to purchase low-cost equipment designed by NERD and advisory services to upgrade human skills is expected to boost the SME sector in the South while opting for alternative and low cost methods to fully optimise the raw materials rich in abundance. The areas identified for assistance are paddy, agricultural and electrical sectors. The loan facilitates will be granted under the "Southern Province Rural Economic Advanced Program" and "Southern Province Rural Development Project". Branch Managers from the Rural Development Bank made a study tour to NERD recently to finalise the project. Credit-Manager, Ruhunu Development Bank, Ranjith Kumara told the Daily News that the bank's involvement in this venture is not merely confined to granting loans to the self employed. Their strategy expands to introducing technology to the Southern Province while building rapport for Southern entrepreneurs with NERD. "We will also introduce a specified fund program for this endeavour in consultation with NERD under which a wider spectrum could be established to achieve maximum productivity while doing away with conventional methods", said Kumara. "This strategy is manifold and we deliberating to offer in-house training for Southern self-employed person at NERD so that they will be able to find ways to revive their industry in a highly competitive world", he said. Chairman of NERD, Ranjan Rodrigo said that his institution in collaboration with regional chambers and banks intends to play a dynamic role to revive the SME sector in the country while introducing innovative technology at low cost. "Our effort is to upgrade human skills identifying industry requirements and we are carrying out diversified programs required for industry need of different areas in the country. This program will help create technoprenuers in rural areas who will take the technology to grassroots level", Rodrigo said. Speaking on the equipment introduced by NERD, Head/Dept of Techo Marketing, NERD, Kumar Perera said that they would aggressively promote Combined Harvester, Coconut Oil Expeller, low cost housing build technology, Paddy Storage System and dying technology in the country. "We also hope to launch similar projects with Samurdhi Banks and Rajarata Development Bank. Our institution is also carry out awareness programs thorough exhibitions and workshops at Divisional Secretariat levels", Perera said. |
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