Interest-free loans for women entrepreneurs

By Ranil Wijayapala

Nearly 13,400 women entrepreneurs countrywide will benefit this year from a interest-free loan scheme launched yesterday by the Regional Development Bank to coincide with International Women's Day at the Sugathadasa Stadium. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was present.

The Liya Isuru loan scheme was launched to encourage women entrepreneurs to launch self employment under a proposal included in the Budget considering the representations made by women entrepreneurs to President Mahinda Rajapaksa when preparing budget proposals.

According to the Chairperson of the Regional Development Bank, Mrs. Keshala Jayawardene, an interest free loan up to a maximum of Rs 250,000 will be extended to women entrepreneurs without any guarantees irrespective of their age.

She said a group of 1,500 women entrepreneurs received their cheques from President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the ceremony. She said that the bank hopes to provide Liya Isuru loans to 13,400 women entrepreneurs under the first stage of this scheme this year. A sum of Rs 3.2 billion has been allocated for disbursement this year. This is the first time in the history of this country that a loan scheme of this nature has been implemented to create a dedicated set of women entrepreneurs in the country.