Disaster-affected industrialists should be very understanding when applying for loans and loan repayment relief to rebuild their industries, says Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe.
He pointed out that it is very important to manage money properly in such a situation as the attitude that only obtaining money can rebuild the industry can lead to various problems for entrepreneurs.
The damage caused can be assessed in terms of money, but since money alone is not enough to rebuild industries, it is important to pay more attention to human resources, skills and new business opportunities, the Central Bank Governor further stated.
The Central Bank Governor expressed these views while participating as the chief guest at a workshop organized by the Kandy City Center to rebuild disaster-affected entrepreneurs. This program was implemented at the Kandy City Center today (20) based on a concept by Thusitha Wijesena, the Chairman of the Kandy City Center, with the theme “Let’s Rise Again with Strength” to uplift the industrialists of the Central Province who have been affected by the disaster.
Speaking at the event, the Governor of the Central Bank said that it is not possible to build the industry by providing money only to small and medium scale industrialists and urged the businessmen to seek advice from banks on what kind of help is important for their industries that have been affected by the disaster in the future.
He also said that banks and financial institutions are not only involved in obtaining loans but also in providing business opportunities, advice, awareness and business insurance opportunities.
The Governor of the Central Bank said that there are many people who have returned the Rs. 25,000 provided by the government to clean up houses destroyed by landslides and landslides to the government, pointing out that it is not possible to build from this disaster by providing money only. He said that although it was a new experience for Sri Lanka, such disasters have been a regular experience for many countries.
The Central Bank Governor also pointed out that the government has provided many concessions for small and medium scale industrialists, such as providing loans at three percent interest and loan relief to rebuild damaged industries, interest-free loans with a grace period of 03 months, loans at 09 percent interest, etc.
Central Province Chief Secretary Ajith Premasinghe, Bank of Ceylon General Manager Y. A. Jayathilaka, Commercial Bank CEO Sanath Manathunga, and other executives of commercial banks, Central Province Ministry of Industries Director Udara Konsivaktha, Kandy City Center Deputy General Manager Madhava Jayasinghe and a group of others spoke on this occasion.
Nadeeka Daya Bandara – From Kandy.