Loans under the 'Enterprise Sri Lanka' subsidised credit schemes, introduced by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera with the intention of creating a new entrepreneur class in the country, has totaled LKR 88 billion to 55,000 recipients since the programme was initiated in June 21 last year.
The Finance Ministry will be going rural to tap the potential of youth with hidden business innovation talents creating awareness on export markets and business skills, State Minister for Finance Eran Wickramaratne told a media conference in Colombo on Monday.
A series of entrepreneurial exhibitions along with workshops is to be conducted countrywide to promote entrepreneurship where the island nation is lagging behind other countries in the region, he said.
The number of Sri Lankan entrepreneurs as a share of the working population is around 3 per cent compared to 11 per cent in Bangladesh and over 20 per cent in Vietnam, he added.
The first of the series of exhibitions was held in Moneragala showcasing 5,175 new businesses. There were 640 stalls and over 500,000 persons visited the exhibition in August 29 last year.
Over 2000 prospective entrepreneurs register in Anurudhapura!
The second exhibition focusing on the development of enterprises and the creation of 100,000 new entrepreneurs by 2020 concluded in Anuradhapura yesterday with over 2000 potential entrepreneurs and new businesses regustering with the Enterprise Sri Lanka credit schemes.
The Ministry has also focused on empowering female entrepreneurs by providing additional incentives with a view of a paradigm shift in the economy in the coming years.
These exhibitions will be a platform for intended entrepreneurs to gain the knowhow and share knowledge on the enterprise development, Deputy Treasury Secretary A.R. Deshapriya disclosed.
State and private banks and other relevant agencies have been directed to provide required assistance, advise and training for budding youth to become entrepreneurs, he added.
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