Trilingual guide for SMEs launched

SMEs, the key driver of Sri Lanka?s industry sector and set to drive country's future manufacturing growth, have received a new boost. "The majority of the enterprises in Sri Lanka are small and medium scale enterprises and their contribution to the development of national economy is significant. Our aim is to support small and medium scale entrepreneurs," said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen.

Minister Bathiudeen expressed these views to the officials of his Ministry having launched Sri Lanka's first trilingual Small & Medium Enterprise Guide Book 2012 published by the National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) under his Ministry on January 19 at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce auditorium, Colombo.

"National Enterprise Development Authority (NEDA) published Small & Medium Enterprise Guide Book (SME Guide Book 2012) to fulfil Entrepreneurs requirement. This Book is also the operational manual for SME to sources of information in financing, technical assistance, Commercial bank extended loan schemes and other relevant attributes. I am glad to note that NEDA has taken steps to publish the small and medium entrepreneurs Guide Book 2011 in all three languages, Sinhala, Tamil and English.

The 2009 edition was published only in Sinhala and English, Minister Bathiudeen said. "I am pleased to extend our support to the national SME strategy under the development vision of President Mahinda Rajapaksa," Minister Bathiudeen said.