Rs 350 m MDF laminating factory opened in Matara

Industrial Development Minister Kumara Welgama opened the "Evero" factory in Hittatiya, Matara under the "Rata Negumata Gamata Karmantha program in keeping with the Mahinda Chinthana."

The MDF laminating factory was opened in Hittatiya, Matara, with an investment of Rs. 350 million. Three hundred and fifty employment opportunities have already been provided. The objective is to export furniture such as Everoform Steel Almirahs and mattresses to the foreign market and provide 50 jobs and earn foreign exchange.

The minister said that the country could not develop only through cultivation and it is essential to build new industries in the country. He said there are three Industrial projects for Hambantota, Galle and Matara and the fourth project for the south would be constructed this year in Baddegama, Hapuwella, Dikwella and Hittatiya. It has been planned to construct 15 industries in the south and five more are to be identified.

The Minister said under the Mahinda Chinthana, factories will be built in each district of the country to increase production and provide employment opportunities. A factory construction program will be launched on April 20 in 4,000 selected villages.

Minister Welgama said that during the previous governments foreign investors set up factories here, earned the money and took it to their countries. This has been stopped.

The Government has taken steps to provide BOI concessions on the instructions of President Mahinda Rajapaksa through the Ministry of Industries and all other requirements will be provided to local industrialists.

The Minister also said that as Kelum Gunawardena has come forward to start this factory other industrialists too could call over at the Ministry of Industrial Development to get advice to set up factories and provide employment to youth and to start a program to earn foreign exchange and stop the flow of money out of the country.

Minister Welgama said that he hopes build a new town at Dikwella making it a historical and sacred city by constructing a sports ground, post office and a beach park. A cabinet paper was approved to renovate the Wewurukannala sacred city and added that Dikwella had received Rs. 270 million to construct the new city and commended the President for it.

Media Minister Laxman Yapa Abeywardena said that the government has launched several programs to expand local development and that the President has instructed that 4,000 villages be targeted for this purpose.

He also said that Minister Dallas Alahapperuma would take steps to develop Dikwella and that Minister Welgama has provided two factories for the purpose.

The Presidential Co-ordinating Secretary Anura Gunarathne and Ven. Hittatiye Nayaka Thera who gifted the land to construct the factory also spoke.