Deputy Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Chathuranga Abeysinghe said that plans have been drawn up to develop the Rayigampura Green Industrial Development Zone at Millaniya in the Kalutara district as an environmentally sustainable industrial city. Future activities of the project will be implemented in a manner that protects the environmental system’s security, continuity and the people’s quality of life.
Cabinet approval for the industrial city has been obtained for 200 acres and 100 acres have been allocated for the environmental system. Around 87 acres will be used for development activities.
Deputy Minister Abeysinghe on an inspection tour to assess the current status of the Industrial Zone on Thursday (July 17) said in the first phase, development activities will be carried out on 24 acres of land with an investment of Rs. 3,837 million.
The project is expected to generate 1,180 job opportunities. He said so far, the Government has spent Rs. 908 million on this project, and 24 industries will be set up on this land by next year. The Deputy Minister said, “The main objective of the Government is to increase industrial and value-added production in Sri Lanka.
However, the lack of adequate space for industrialisation is the biggest obstacle. Almost, 173 industrialists from the Western Province have requested land from the Ministry, but currently there is a minimal situation of industrial land in the Western Province.”
“As a solution to this problem, the Government is trying to accelerate previously stalled projects such as the industrial city in the Millaniya area. We hope to complete this project with the cooperation of the people in the area, in a manner that does not harm the environment dispelling doubts and concerns of the people,” the Deputy Minister added.
