Golden opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase products

"Small and medium scale entrepreneurs in the Anuradhapura district, are being offered a golden opportunity to publicize and propagate their products locally and internationally, during the impending Anuradhapura sixth Deyata Kirula national exhibition. It is expected that apart from more than 500 exhibition stalls, around four million local and foreign visitors are expected at the Oyamaduwa exhibition site, which will be kept open for seven days from February 4," North Central Province Cooperative Affairs, Textile Industry Housing and Industries Minister H. B. Semasinghe said, speaking at the Anuradhapura District Entrepreneurs Societies representatives gathering held at the Anuradhapura Cooperative auditorium recently.

The minister said that under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and with the support extended by the Information Technology Ministry, a new Entrepreneurs' Economic Centre was under construction in the heart of the town at a cost of Rs 200 million of which, the first phase would be declared open on February 4, by the President.

This complex would serve as a market for the products of the hereditary and innovative handicraftsmen and a showcase of such products to the world.

"Under my ministry, there is an ndustrial development authority, which requires to be streamlined. The funds being allocated by the PC had not been adequate to go on with the industrial development programmes," Semasinghe emphasized further.

Semasinghe appealed to the small scale entrepreneurs to work dedicatedly to expand their business enterprises, without confining the ventures just to earn a living.

There were loan schemes introduced by the government and private sector agencies. The government provides loans to develop the country and it was the responsibility of government officers to invest the loan monies most fruitfully, to gain maximum results.

As such, the entrepreneurs too shall use loan facilities to enhance the productivity to achieve the long-term objectives through strategic management, he emphasized.

The Ministry Secretary Chandra Chandradasa, Asst Secretary W Weerasekara, Chairman of the Industrial Development Authority S M Semasinghe were present.