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| Sunday, 7 August 2005 |
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Industrialists rush to SME Bank by Don Asoka Wijewardene reporting from Matara When I was in the UNP no loan scheme on behalf of the small and medium scale entrepreneurs and industrialists was introduced by the UNP although I urged the party to do so. Under the guidance of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, the SME Bank was set up to cater to the needs of the small and medium scale entrepreneurs to improve their businesses, said Advanced Technology and National Enterprise Development Minister Rohita Bogollegama at the opening ceremony of SME Bank and SME Bank loan disbursement program in Matara. Referring to one objective of the loan scheme, Minister Bogollagama noted that the SME Bank loan scheme would upgrade business of people in the Matara district. Posts and Civil Aviation Minister and Deputy Education Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that he had requested Minister Bogollagama to open an SME Bank in Matara as small and medium scale entrepreneurs and industrialists had not been in a position to upgrade and operate their businesses as most of them had fallen into despondency. Minister Samaraweera also said that he was grateful to the UNP for giving a resourceful Minister like Bogollagama to the UPFA Government and added that a new lease of life in the field of small and medium scale enterprise would usher in soon with the opening of the SME Bank in Matara. Nineteen small scale entrepreneurs who were affected by the tsunami engaged in gem and jewellery industry in Matara district were given loan certificates amounting to Rs. 8 lakhs. Thirty two small scale industrialists in the Matara district were also given loan certificates. |
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