NCCSL gets Rs. 200 m grant from Netherlands

Ruwanthi Abeyakoon

GRANT: The out right grant of Rs. 200 million to the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) by the Royal Netherlands Government will assist in creating a sustainable Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector, Ambassador of Royal Netherlands, Reynout Van Dijk said.

“A successful entrepreneur provides employment and provides other entrepreneurs opportunities to develop their businesses. This project will assist entrepreneurs in developing countries to penetrate the European

 market.

New partnerships and new markets will also be created. We will analyze and fill the gaps that SME sector face when moving from a small enterprise to an established one,” Van Dijk said.

Deputy President, NCCSL, Asoka Hettigoda said the emphasis over the years has been to support industrialists in the Western Province. “The contribution of the industrialists outside Western Province can be doubled and tripled if a little assistance is given. We want to make them stand on their own feet.

The objectives of this project are to increase self-reliance of SME sector and to adjust them to the changing market. It will also enhance the competitiveness. We will monitor their performances and train them to do better business,” he explained.

“We will also encourage value addition, which will increase employment. It will also increase exports and it will be an added boost to the economy. The priority sectors will be tsunami affected SMEs involved in the tourism sector.

Less developed regions outside Western Province will be given preference. Women entrepreneurs will also be encouraged. Maximum company assets should be Rs. 10 million and should have a workforce of three to 30 to be eligible to obtain the fund,” Hettigoda said.