‘Four more Industrial Zones for North’

In a new initiative to draw international investors to the surging Northern Province, four more new industrial zones are mulled by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

“The Ministry of Industry and Commerce being the key Ministry that facilitates regional industrial development has included to its 5 year plan the development of five new Regional Industrial Estates (zones) in the Northern Province.

Douglas Devananda (Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development) with to Risad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce- centre) and Harimawan Suyitno (Indonesian Ambassador in Colombo) at the inauguration event.

This initiative will support industrialisation of the Province and also create at least 5000 new employment opportunities for the people of north” announced Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce on 18 January.

Minister Bathiudeen was addressing the inauguration event of the International Trade Fair (JITF) 2013 in Jaffna said already 26 Industrial Zones are operating in Sri Lanka under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce with more than 20,000 direct employment. A new industrial zone has commenced in Mannar with two new garment factories being built.

The other planned Northern industrial zones are in the districts of Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu.

All the newly planned Zones in the North will integrate only non-hazardous industries. Estimated, cost of all five Northern zones is Rs one billion ($ 7.8 mn).

“My Ministry has already started the first Northern Province Industrial Estate in Mannar in 2010, where two garment factories are already being built and nearing completion.

The second northern industrial park will be established in Omanthai, to bring Vavuniya to our national indistries.

Our focus is to facilitate the thrust sectors such as the salt based industry, boat manufacturing, seafood processing and palmyrah based industries.

I urge the Jaffna International Trade Fair participants to seriously consider making use of the support services and facilities, in the Regional Industrial Estates and establish future business and investment projects that can contribute towards the development of the region in a big way,” Minister Bathiudeen said.