Kudos for Budget

Irangika Range, Shirley Wijesinghe and Chaminda Perera

COLOMBO: Samantha Perera, a small scale entrepreneur said budget 2007 has especially emphasised at the development of the small and medium enterprise sector.

"The leather industry too will get similar duty and VAT concessions. The budget has also introduced credit facilities for SMEs through banks which is remarkable. It has also taken a number of steps to develop the SME sector while the import duty on advance machinery and equipment will be removed", he said.

Nimal Sumanapala, a farmer from Piliyandala said the Government's effort to empower the small farmer is commendable.

"A credit scheme for small farmers ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 100,000 will help farmers to promote their economic standards. Most farmers suffer from financial problems and this year's budget is a boon to farmers", he said.

Afno Vice President Ravi Kannangara commenting on the Budget proposals said the Government's commitment towards the IT development seems to have not changed.

He said the previous budget of the president in January 2006 gave unprecedented impetus to the industry and the IT education.

This trend will continue next financial year too as no major changes will not be effected in the feild this year, he said "The government has taken vast strides towards the IT education by introducing various concessions.

The opening of Vidatha Training Centres islandwide with a view to enhance IT literacy among the rural youth also attributed to this growth.

"The special tax concessions and loan schemes introduced by the government gave rural youth an unprecendented access to the IT world. Country has enormous demand for IT experts who should be practicably and theoretically capable".

The country's development in every field is inevitable provided that these proposals are effectively implemented.

He hailed various concessions and measures to protect and upgrade local industries including agriculture.

The local industries play a key role in the development of any country. Kannangara welcomed the government's initiatives to invest more in roads, power projects as they are basic amenities to the development. Three wheeler driver Jinasiri Kumara appreciated the budget and named it as a "Budget of Common Man".

He said the people will be happy with the budget because they cannot see any price hike directly from it in the near future.

Private Bank Executive Dhanapala Perera said the Budget is focused mainly on the infrastructure development projects of the country.