Women SME entrepreneurs meet President on Budget 2014
Thursday, 10 October 2013 00:00
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa met with the women entrepreneurs of the Small and Medium Enterprises sector in order to solicit their views and proposals for the 2014 Budget preparations at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday.
The businesswomen made submissions on the problems they encounter in their trades and what they anticipate from next year’s Budget. They told the President that they were not receiving the incentives granted to them by the Government.
The President assured to send some senior Government officials to look into the problems encountered in villages.
The women entrepreneurs presented a series of proposals to the President on how their contribution could be profitably used for the development of the country. Achieving a new technology for industrial activities, organising district level exhibitions, receiving loans on concessionary terms and securing relief in the registration of their enterprises were some of the submissions made by them.
Those representing food production, livestock and fresh milk, manufacture of yoghurt, handicraft, batik and garment manufacture, fibre-based products, sculpture and ornamental fish participated in this meeting.
Speaking to them, the President said that the people were facing tremendous difficulties as decisions taken during discussions held in Colombo were not being properly put into action at the rural level. The onus is on the Ministry officials to visit the villages and make inquiries into this effect. The President emphasised that serious injustice was being caused to the country when officials did not fulfill their responsibilities.
The President also noted that many women had lost their job opportunities. Handloom industries were shut down in the past. Jobs in cottage industries for women have declined. There is 95% women’s representation in the public sector today. He told the gathering that the Government would provide whatever concessions it could and to launch industries exploiting to the maximum available resources in the villages.
