HNB to uplift Jaffna's economy

With the dawn of a new outlook for the people living in Jaffna after a 3 decade old civil war with normalcy restored, HNB, with its innovative, initiative of being in the forefront of activities has drawn up plans for a Jaffna Re-awakening Week programme with the theme "Vanakkam Yalpanam" that will reinvigorate Jaffna a landscape with untapped resources with diverse agriculture vegetation exclusive to the Jaffna Peninsular..

The programme will be held from August 22 to 28. The ceremonial opening of HNB's latest addition to its customer centres at Point Pedro will be held on August, 26.

HNB has a strong presence in Jaffna since 1971. Over the years HNB has strengthened its operations in the Jaffna Peninsula by opening five branches in the surrounding areas in Jaffna, Chunnakam, Nelliady, Stanley Road and Manipay. Our efforts in taking banking to the far flung areas of the Peninsula was because of the confidence and trust placed on HNB and we have built a cordial relationship which counts over 3 decades.

The first of the re-awakening week will begin on August 22 where an awareness programme for the farmers from the Peninsula will be held with the participation of experts from the Dept. of Agriculture and the University of Jaffna.

The attendees will be made aware of the latest technological aspects of farming, quality improvement, packaging techniques together with marketing linkages etc. which will be the way forward in achieving profitable crops.

Day two has been earmarked for a similar awareness programme for the fisherfolk of Jaffna the mainstay of the economy who will be educated in the latest technology, storage mechanisms, transporting techniques etc. which will definitely have an impact on their livelihood and the growth of the community. Both programmes have incentives of providing participants with financing options available through the 'Uthuru Vasanthaya' and Gami Pubuduwa programmes as well as through HNBs novel agricultural lending programmes.

Since the student banking concept has occupied a prominent place in HNB the third day (24th August, 2009) of this programme has been allocated for a "student-bank manager" conference specially to rally the schoolchildren to be educated on the finer points to run a school banking unit and also to create awareness of the latest trends in savings mobilization.