Special unit to expedite 300 factories project

Three hundred new industries are to be set up islandwide to develop the less developed districts of the country.

Under the programme which seeks to implement a proposal in the 2006 budget, one industry will be established in every divisional secretariat area, Cabinet spokesman Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

He said the Cabinet which met on Wednesday approved a proposal by Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Rohitha Bogollagama to identify suitable locations in the respective areas for setting up the 300 industries and to allocate them to available investors.

A special unit will be set up under the Board of Investment to follow up work on the project.

The Government has also decided to implement a housing programme for families living in the urban under-served settlements.

Minister Yapa said the programme is aimed at improving the lives of at least 100 families living in slums and under-served areas in Colombo.