249 North Central youth picked for Enterprise Sri Lanka loans

Two hundred and forty-nine young entrepreneurs eligible to receive ‘Thurunu Diriya’ loans were identified from the North Central Province, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement yesterday.  

This was revealed at a progress review meeting for the North Central Province, which was held on 31 August at the Anuradhapura District Secretariat, in the presence of Anuradhapura District Secretary R. M. Wanninayaka. 

Further, it was revealed that seven entrepreneurs of the North Central Province had already received this loan and business plans for another 73 young entrepreneurs were prepared by the Small Enterprises Development Division and handed over to the Bank of Ceylon.

This progress review committee meeting was attended by the officials representing the Anuradhapura District Secretariat, Central Programme Management Unit (CPMU) of the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs, Policy Development Office of the Prime Minister’s Office, Bank of Ceylon, Small Enterprises Development Division and all the Divisional Secretariats of the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts.

The Thurunu Diriya loan scheme was launched by the Bank of Ceylon in collaboration with the Policy Development Office (PDO) of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Central Programme Management Unit (CPMU) of the Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs and the Small Enterprises Development Division (SEDD) of the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Project Management and Southern Development.

BOC’s Thurunu Diriya loan scheme grants loans to young entrepreneurs without a guarantor and collateral or with lenient guarantor conditions, for small-scale young entrepreneurs who possess a degree or a recognised vocational certificate, who have been in business for three years. Further details of this loan scheme can be obtained from Bank of Ceylon branches or divisional secretariats island-wide.