Divineguma, a boon for the poor - Dullas

Many facilities have been provided to the poor, including Samurdhi beneficiaries, through the Divineguma Bill, Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.

The minister was speaking after opening the 22nd Divineguma Industrial Exhibition at St Thomas' College, Matara.

The exhibition was organised as the 22nd in a series of exhibitions conducted islandwide under the Divineguma programme by the Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry sponsored by the Economic Development Ministry.

Alahapperuma said Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda was entrusted with the implementation of the Divineguma programme, drawn up for the uplift of the living standard of the poor by developing domestic and small and medium scale industries.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry Secretary V Sivagnanasothy said his ministry with five other line ministries and 16 institutions operating under the purview of these ministries were providing training, technology and bank loans to those desirous of commencing their own industries.