WB support for SME sector
US $ 57.4 million worth project:
Eight financial institutions have been selected to participate in a
US$57.4 million World Bank project that supports the Sri Lanka
Government’s efforts to improve access to finance for Small and Medium
Enterprises (SMEs) affected by the global financial crisis.
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Diarietou
Gaye |
“The SME sector is expected to be one of the key elements in economic
development in Sri Lanka. Strengthening institutional capacity, applying
more modern lending technologies, modernizing risk management procedures
and creating an enabling environment to generate more employment
opportunities for inclusive growth constitute this IDA lending
operation, which became effective in January 2011,” World Bank Country
Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Diarietou Gaye said. Finance
and Planning Ministry is responsible for the implementation of this
project.
In December 2010, the Finance and Planning Ministry launched a
nationwide competitive process to select the participating financial
institutions to the two facilities provided under the Small and Medium
Enterprise Development Facility Project. The selection process was
completed on schedule and the participating financial institutions were
announced recently.
Effective since January 2011, the project provides two facilities: a
line of credit to participating state and private commercial banks to
refinance SME loans; and a risk sharing facility administered by the Sri
Lanka Insurance Company providing partial credit guarantees to reduce
the bank’s risk of lending to SME borrowers. Seven banks have been
elected to participate in the Line of Credit facility and one bank to
participate in both facilities.
Under both facilities, participating financial institutions will be
required to implement a technical assistance program to strengthen their
SME banking capability over time and to provide capacity building to
SMEs. The Government plans to enter into agreements with the selected
banks by the end of February. The banks will be able to access the line
of credit for eligible SME loans approved starting from the date of
these agreements.
However, since the success of the facilities will depend on the
application of modern SME lending technologies, the banks will also be
required to enter into individual technical cooperation agreements with
the Government to agree on a technical assistance program co-funded by
the Project.
The Finance and Planning Ministry is currently conducting a
diagnostic of the capacity building program proposed by each
participating financial institution.
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