PM initiates revival of techno parks in Galle, Kurunegala

 PM Dinesh Gunawardena

• People’s Bank and NSB had lent Rs. 750 million each for the proposed parks in 2021

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena is initiating key measures to revive the technological parks in Galle and Kurunegala initiated in 2021 but later abandoned.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said yesterday that the Ministry of Investment Promotion has been advised in the National Operations Room discussions to prepare a plan to make proper use of the buildings constructed in the Technology Parks by the Techno Park Company in Kurunegala and Galle Districts.

The problems of the development projects and the methods of expediting those projects were discussed by the National Operation Room headed by the Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake.

It was revealed that the suspension of construction of the two Technology Parks started in Kurunegala and Galle was due to the absence of a method to cover the operating expenses of the Techno Park Company. Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake emphasised that a large number of job opportunities can be created through the field of information technology, which is emerging day by day.

This matter was discussed twice in the National Operations Room, where a viable project proposal could be submitted to the Department of Public Enterprises to quickly increase the liquid assets of the Techno Park Company, and the National Budget Department was also advised to explore the possibility of providing financial allocations by the government to support the company›s operating expenses until it becomes profitable.

As the National Operating Room Committee has been informed that the National Budget Department is not able to provide financial allocations to support the operational expenses of the Techno Park Company, the relevant key stakeholders were called this time with the aim of discussing a method to effectively implement its future activities.

It was mentioned that loans of Rs. 750 million from the National Savings Bank and Rs. 750 million from the People›s Bank have been obtained in 2021 for the Technology Park construction programme under the Techno Park Company, but the related loan instalments and interest payments have been suspended from 2022.