Ekala Industrial Estate turns profitable
Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister
Douglas Devananda said that he wants the Ekala Industrial Estate under
the Industrial Development Board to become a model estate that
facilitates developing small enterprises to become the next generation
drivers of the economy.
|
Minister Douglas Devananda at a factory in Ekala Industrial
Estate with IDB Chairman Udayasiri Kariawasam, Board Member
Rohantha Athukorala and the Ministry Senior Advisor
Jegarasasingam |
The Minister which has initiated a five year developmental strategy
for the Ministry commenced its field activity plan by visiting the Ekala
Industrial Estate which houses almost 44 key small and medium
enterprises like Load Star Rim making, Finegal one of the most modern
bakeries in Sri Lanka, mosquito net manufacturers and many facets of
Apparel SME’s.
The Ekala Industrial Estate that comes under the Small Enterprise and
Traditional Industries Ministry made a positive cash flow of 3.2 million
which is now being re-invested to the further development of this sector
as per direction of the Minister post this visit.
The Minister focused strongly into finding out the welfare provided
by the enterprises as per the policies of the Mahinda Chintana Idiri
Dakma, namely salaries, cleanliness of food eaten by the workers during
working time, lighting and the physical working environment they work
under as well as how they travel to and from work.
“Sri Lanka must differentiate its products and services on the
proposition of Ethically Manufactured products so that we differentiate
ourself from the price savvy Chinese products said the Minister who was
instrumental in keeping the Jaffna economy ticking during the height of
terrorism.
One company visited by the delegation was Fabrico Hasnteel a small
enterprise that started business around twenty years back in the Ekala
Industrial Estate with an investment of one million Rupees and today it
has touched 250 million Rupees in value which is the model that SME’s in
Sri Lanka must become, said Minister Devananda. This is the strategy the
Government will have in the future. There are 17 other similar estates
in the country so that it plays the role of an incubator to the SME
development agenda.
The delegation included Secretary Sivaghanasoorthy, IDB Chairman
Udaya Kariawasam, Board Member Rohantha Athukorala and the Ministry
Senior Advisor Jegarasasingam. The IDB senior management was also
present. |
