By Imsha Iqbal
Under the Regional Industrial Development Programme of the Ministry of Industries, with the aim of establishing industries, lands were allocated in order to establish 24 industry projects, from 10 industrial estates.
The land allocation is conducted in accordance with the recommendations provided by both the Regional Industrial Service Committee as well as the Project Evaluation Committee of the Ministry, and 24 project proposals were taken into consideration to proceed in implementing them.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa for the implementation of these projects.
Speaking to The Morning Business on regional industries not contributing merely to a single sector, but rather to multiple sectors, Ministry of Industries Industrial Development Division Assistant Director U.A.C.N. Rajapaksha stated: “These industries are contributing to different sectors such as food processing, apparel, and vehicle assembling.”
Further, Rajapaksha said that there are 32 industrial estates under the Ministry, and this week’s cabinet paper focused on establishing 24 industry projects.
The Regional Industrial Development Programme is mainly aimed at promoting industries at the regional level across the island.
The process of selecting investors for these industry projects has been finalised already by the submission of the cabinet paper. Explaining to the investors, Rajapaksha said investors are invited regularly since all 32 estates are not granted to an investor. Accordingly, the investor can select their preference of industry for the project.
With regard to selecting the investors, the selection is conducted by the Regional Industrial Service Committee which has been established under the Industrial Promotion Act No. 40 of 1990 following a complete evaluation.
He said: “These projects are conducted as private projects.”
The land plots that are allocated to the investors are granted to them on the basis of a long- term tax base of 35 years.
Thus, in order to set up an industry, the land can be obtained by filling an application with the Industrial Development Division of the Ministry or the Regional Industrial Service Centre, and subsequently submitting the filled application to the relevant Regional Industrial Service Centre.
Moreover, during the land application process, the project action plan also needs to be submitted by the investor himself.
With regard to the Board of Investment (BOI) Export Processing Zones (EPZs), there are 11 EPZs on the island: Katunayake EPZ, Biyagama EPZ, Koggala EPZ, Kandy IP, Mirigama EPZ, Malwatte EPP, Seethawaka EPZ, Mirijjawila EPZ, Wathupitiwala EPZ, Horana EPZ, and Polgahawela EPZ.
State lands allocated for 24 industry projects
29 Sep 2021
State lands allocated for 24 industry projects
29 Sep 2021