The Samurdhi Development Department and the Saubhagya Development Bureau in Anuradhapura are implementing a number of poverty alleviation projects throughout the island. These institutions had produced 220,000 self-employed families last year, Samurdhi Economy, Self-employment, Micro-Finance and Business Development State Minister Sehan Semasinghe said.
State Minister Semasinghe said that this programme promotes disciplines among small and medium businesspersons whose contribution towards the national economy is nearly 50 per cent now.
“These centres facilitate the small and medium businesspersons to register themselves online as entrepreneurs thereby helping them to improve coordination with the Government and private banking and financing agencies. The Centres assist them in registering their business online, guide them to gain finance, training, online sales, marketing knowledge, technology, research, standardization certificates, legal aid and consultation. We have already opened such centres in Matale, Moneragala, Badulla, Kilinochchi, Anuradhapura and Nuwara Eliya,” the State Minister said.
“The European Commission, United Nations Organization, and the Netherland support this venture. They have already provided Rs. 60 million in this regard,” the State Minister said.
State Minister Semasinghe also said that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa will release Rs. 85 million to improve and implement livelihood empowerment programmes islandwide.
Meanwhile, the Samurdhi Development Ministry has taken steps to set up 2.2 million home gardens in the first quarter of this year. Over 88,000,000 saplings of crops will be distributed among low income families in this regard.
Add new comment