Shilpa 2012 motivates craftsmen, small and medium scale entrepreneurs:

Exhibition from December 27 to 30

Disna Mudalige

Shilpa 2012, the National Exhibition and Trade Fair, organised by the Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry will be held from December 27 to 30 at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Hall.

This annual exhibition and trade fair is organised to motivate craftsmen and small and medium scale entrepreneurs.

It will be opened by Urban Affairs Senior Minister A H M Fowzie. Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Consumer Welfare Senior Minister S B Navinna and Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena will be the Chief Guests on the second, third and fourth days of the exhibition.

Addressing the media after the Cabinet press briefing at the Mass Media and Information Ministry Auditorium yesterday, Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry Secretary S Sivagnanasorthy said several ministers, MPs and donor community will participate in the event as Guests of Honour.

He said the ministry target is to develop 5,000 small scale enterprises as medium scale enterprises and 200 medium scale enterprises as large scale enterprises every year.

Sivagnanasorthy said a five - year strategic plan has been prepared by the ministry to cater to this target.

He said over 1,500 categories of products which had won in provincial and district level competitions would be exhibited at the event.

Sivagnanasorthy said exhibition stalls have been given to producers adding that the revenue would be directly given to producers.

He said the exhibition will have a range of products.

Deputy Minister Weerakumara Dissanayake and National Craft Council chairman Buddhi Keerthisena also participated.