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| Sunday, 2 January 2005 |
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Self-employment thrust to benefit 16,000 families in Horana More than 16,000 families in the Horana Electorate are to benefit under a self-employment program launched on the initiative of the Buddha Sasana, Public Security, Law and Order Minister and Deputy Minister of Defence Ratnasiri Wickremanayake with the co-operation and support of several leading private sector companies. This was revealed recently at a well-attended conference called by Minister Wickremanayake who hails from the electorate of Horana, at Randara Hotel, Horana with representatives of several leading private sector firms and State agencies to identify and introduce self-employment opportunities for needy families in the electorate to enable them to lead self-reliant lives. The self-employment project has been formulated on the direction of the Minister as a major thrust in tackling the unemployment problem on the basis of a preliminary study already made on the requirement of the people of the electorate and identification of the needy poor along with the manpower and other resources available. A video presentation of the study was shown for the information of the representatives of private firms. Senior State officials serving in the Horana electorate as well as political and local government representatives along with Samurdhi and Agricultural Development Officers also participated in the discussion. Minister Wickremanayake in his opening address welcomed the representatives of private sector firms and said that the ready and positive response shown by them towards the project augurs well to help the poor families to come up in life through self-employment ventures. The Government alone cannot provide employment to all. It was in this context he thought of getting the resources and know-how of the private firms to assist the families in self-employment ventures by staying in thier own villages. He said that over 16,000 families in 92 Grama Sevaka Divisions in Horana have been identified for help under the project". The hand of friendship you have extended to our people will help brighten their lives" minister said. Among the firms and agencies which have come forward to assist in the self-employment program are Bairaha Farms Ltd. Industrial Technology Institute, Ceylinco Consolidated Ltd, Asian Aquarium (Pvt) Ltd, Kotmale Dairy Products Ltd, Cargills Ceylon Ltd, Nawaloka Group of Companies, Ceylon Grain Elevators (PRIMA), Ernest and Young, National Livestock Development Board, Associated Motorways Group, Horticulture Research Station, Bank of Ceylon, People's Bank, Lakmal Sala, Tea Small Holdings, Mathugama, National Housing Development Authority, Horticulture Research Station, Horana and the Rubber Regional Office, Kalutara. |
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