Instead of developing manufacturing industries, rulers have been importing goods from abroad for decades, but the current government is taking steps to create an industrial craze, says Entrepreneurship Development and Industries Minister Sunil Handunnetti.
He said this while participating in the establishment of the Ratnapura District Industrial Council.
Expressing further views, he said at the event.
”The government’s aim and goal is to turn school children in our country, those who cannot go to university after their A-levels and those who cannot go to work, into local and international entrepreneurs.
“We have started a program to introduce industries to the village through the ”Meet the Minister” program. We are working to create interest in industries from the village level. As an initial step, the President has placed all the institutions that provide the necessary support to industries under one ministry. 20 policy-making committees have been established under the Ministry of Industries for this purpose. A new tariff policy will be introduced next year.
No matter what institutions we establish or what policies we make, if the general public does not benefit from them, those institutions will be of no use. Previously, the institutions that should have been under the Ministry of Industries were located in different places. Therefore, no formal work was done through them.