Ministerial Consultative Committee on Industries Chairman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said that the Budget 2023 had set aside Rs. 2 billion to fund and support the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector.
The Minister was responding to Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa over the SMEs under the present context at the Committee meeting.
The Committee was of the view that a proper mechanism needs to be set out to asses SMEs to which assistance will be granted in a methodically executed manner.
Nineteen Annual Reports which has been pending for a long time were also presented before the Committee and these were approved.
The reports were approved at the first meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Industries for the third session of the ninth Parliament held recently (16), chaired by Plantation Industries and Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana.
Members also raised concerns over the Dolomite Industry. It was stated that the lack of explosives and allowing imports affect the Industry and small-scale entrepreneurs. The Chair stated that the concern pertaining to explosives are being looked into and that the Ministry will look into the concern regarding imports as well.
Many concerns on various industries from matters that arise challenging the development of the batik industry and the availability of raw material required for the industry, concerns pertaining to the national gem and Jewellery industry were also brought to attention by Parliamentarians at the Committee meeting.
State Ministers Prasanna Ranaweera, Janaka Wakkumbura, Chamara Sampath Dassanayake and Parliamentarians Rishad Bathiudeen, Buddhika Pathirana, Madhura Withanage, Nalaka Bandara Kottegoda, Sumith Udukumbura, Mohamad Muzammil and Sahan Pradeep Withana were present.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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