Infrastructure facilities attract investors:

Industrial zones go islandwide

Harshini PERERA

The Ministry of Industrial Development has set up many industrial zones away from Colombo and Gampaha under the Gamata Karmantha program in different districts, Secretary, Ministry of Industrial Development, R.V.D. Piyathilaka told Daily News Business.

The infrastructure facilities developed in any industrial zone attracts investors to invest in the particular industrial zone.

Therefore, the prime requirement for regional industrial development is infrastructure where the Ministry of Industrial Development has succeeded in developing industrial zones, he said.

There are two industrial zones in Nagoda and Matugama under the program in the Kalutara district where 36 acres and 50 acres have been allocated for industrial development. Thirteen factories have commenced commercial production at the Nagoda industrial zones and three factories are under construction.

The land allocated for the Matugama industrial zone which is under the development stage is 50 acres and only 24 acres have been developed under phase 1. A roofing sheets factory with an investment of Rs. 500 million has commenced operations and many inquiries have been received to launch a car assembling factory and chemical factory.

Twenty-six plots have been developed in the Dankotuwa area and all have started business operations.

An industrial zone is being constructed in Wennappuwa. The industrial zones in remote districts such as Kurunegala have been developed in three sites - Makadura East, Makadura West and Dambadeniya.

There are 14 industries in the Makadura West zone and 11 have commenced commercial operations while Makadura East has started commercial production in three factories, he said.

Four factories in the Dambadeniya industrial zones have started commercial production. The industrial zone in Polonnaruwa on 48 acres has been developed with eight factories while six have started commercial production and two are under construction.

An industrial zone has been set up in the Matale district on 23 acres of which nine factories started commercial production while one factory is under construction. One factory is under construction in the Ulapane industrial zone and plots are available.