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Northern Renaissance:
Micros and SMEs to boost industrial resurgence
Sanjeevi JAYASURIYA
UNIDO enlisted micros and SMEs will speed an industrial resurgence in
the North and East briming economic development to the war torn area.
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Nawas
Rajabdeen |
"As once war affected North and East regions have now re-joined the
country's GDP scheme, UNIDO is moving to resurrect the regional chambers
of these provinces and other parts of the country. Our regional chambers
can get involved in identifying the industrial requirements of the
areas, the availability of indigenous raw material and in facilitation
of the progress of the SME' sector" National Director of UNIDO-Sri Lanka
Nawaz Rajabdeen told the Daily News Business.
He made these views after discussions on regional chamber enlistment
at the UNIDO-Colombo office recently. "With the Industry and Commerce
Ministry, UNIDO focal point in Colombo is planning to extend technical
support in setting up micro and small industries-especially in the war
affected region of the North and East", Rajabdeen said.
"But our scope is not only for the North and East" he said. In 2011,
the North and East economic growth rate stood at 22 percent, above the
8.2 percent national average.
Sri Lanka plans to double the region's GDP contribution by 2014.
"We believe that the regional chambers are capable of making a
stronger contribution than at present.
Vast array of opportunities is available in the industries, such as,
cement and agro based, light metal industry, and value addition for agro
products, especially in the North and East.
"We want to enlist micro and SME sectors.
Developing these sectors will create job opportunities and enhance
the living standards of the youths" he said.
"Regional chambers can get involved in identifying the industrial
requirements of the area and the availability of indigenous raw material
and facilitating the SME sector, and be the driver of industrial
resurgence in the new economic upswing." Rajabdeen said.
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