Boosting SMIs:

Common Service Centres in Gampaha

Chamikara Weerasinghe

The Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Ministry will open two Common Service Centres build spending over Rs 10 million in Gampaha to upgrade the district’s clay and cane industries as part of the Government’s 180 -day Accelerated Development Program for the Gampaha District.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Minister Douglas Devananda will hand over the Centres to the public shortly to upgrade the Small and Medium Scale Industries (SMIs), such as coir, handmade paper, paint, fruit and cement based products in Gampaha.

Minister Devananda will also introduce the ‘North-South Business Bridge Program’ to establish strong commercial and industrial links between Jaffna and Gampaha, Small Enterprise Ministry Secretary V. Sivagnanasothi said yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Small Enterprises Ministry plans to provide Social Security Pension benefits for small industrialists through the Social Security Board, Ministry sources said. Sivagnanasothi said the 180-day accelerated development program will generate employment opportunities for over 600 youth including women. It will also provide skill-based training for 200 industrialists in the Gampaha district. This will lead to upgrade over 150 Small and Medium scale Industries in Gampaha, he said.

”The program will provide machinery and skill-based training for small industrialists to upgrade their leather based products, bakery products , batiks, emulsion paint, handmade paper, fruit based or cement based products,” he said.

The Common Service Centre on clay products was set up at Wabadamulla, Meerigama.

The Centre is equipped with machinery, such as a pug mill, potter wheel, electric potter wheel, accessories and other facilities.

The Common Services Centre on cane products was established at Radawadunna, Meerigama. The Ministry will provide raw materials and credit facilities for the SMEs.