Guidance for small-scale entrepreneurs under Jathika Saviya

COLOMBO: The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has taken steps to implement a series of programmes to guide selected small-scale entrepreneurs under President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Jathika Saviya programme.

As one such programme, the Central Bank has produced a special manual, dealing with identification of business opportunities, securing of bank loans for revenue generating activities, loan schemes promoting rural development and institutions helpful to small enterprises.

A special discussion relating to the manual’s contents was held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday under the patronage of Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa and Central Bank Governor Ajit Nivard Cabraal.

Central Bank Additional Secretary H. M. Gunaratne and representatives from Bank of Ceylon, National Development Trust Fund, Samurdhi Authority and Sanasa Rural Banks also participated.

The concept of cultivating a paddy field in every village under the sponsorship of the Central Bank, in keeping with President Rajapaksa’s Mahinda Chintana Programme was discussed at this discussion.

It was also decided that the production of the complete manual will be completed and handed over to the President before April 21. The role Banks could play to successfully accomplish the task envisaged under the Jathika Saviya-Gama Neguma programme was also discussed.