Hon. Chathuranga Abeysinghe - Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, with regard to that tile factory and other industries under the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship, this Government is taking over enterprises that have been in a state of disrepair. That factory was abandoned during the LTTE conflict around 1990. Efforts were made since 2015 to restart it, but without success.

¶ 02 However, there is good news. In 2024, Rs. 15 million was allocated from the Treasury to commence work, though progress was slow. Within the past four months, under a new Chairman, we have expedited implementation and are ready to commence production tomorrow, 07 March. The first phase will begin with a daily capacity of 5,800 tiles and around 150 employment opportunities, providing affordable tiles and bricks especially to the people of the North, including the local community. Additional capital requirements have been identified, and the Ministry has taken steps to ensure successful commencement and continuity of operations, Hon. Member.