Budget 2014:

Women entrepreneurs present proposals

Women entrepreneurs of SME sector submitted their views and proposals for the 2014 Budget at a meeting with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week.

At a pre-budget consultative meeting at the Presidential Secretariat they presented the problems they encounter in trade and what they anticipate from next year's Budget. They complained that they were not receiving the incentives promised to them by the Government and the President assured them that he would look into the problems they encounter.

The women entrepreneurs presented a series of proposals to the President on how their contribution could be effectively used for the development of the country.

Use of new technology for industries, organising district level exhibitions for trade promotion, loans at concessionary terms and relief in the registration of their enterprises were among the proposals they submitted.

SME women entrepreneurs representing the food processing, livestock and fresh milk, handicraft, batik and garment manufacture, coir products, sculpture and ornamental fish were present.

The President said that the people were facing tremendous difficulties as decisions taken during discussions in Colombo were not put into action properly at the rural level. It is the responsibility of ministry officials to visit villages and look into it.

The President said that a large number of women had lost their jobs as a result of crises in some SME sectors.Handloom industries were shut down in the past. Jobs in cottage industries for women have declined and government has taken steps to restore them. The Government is ready to support women entrepreneurs to develop their existing ventures and launch new industries exploiting to the maximum available resources in the villages.