Sri Lankan govt plans garment units in resettled villages

27 Oct '14

2 min read

The Government of Sri Lanka has planned to establish new garment factories in resettled villages in the Northern part of the country, with an aim to provide employment opportunities for the youth, the official government website reported.

In Sri Lanka, resettled villages are those where internally displaced people during the war and refugees have settled after the end of the war with the LTTE.

Initially, five garment factories will be set up in 75 acres of land selected and allocated in Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, and Mannar districts in Sri Lanka. The garment factories will be built as a joint collaboration of Sri Lanka Textile and Garment Institute, Sri Lanka Garment Exporters Association, and Trade and Industrial Ministry.

A survey conducted by the Sri Lanka Institute of Textile and Apparel and Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters, in collaboration with the Welioya Divisional Secretariat, has revealed that there are more than 2500 workers in the areas bordering Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Trincomalee districts, who want to work in garment industries and around 500 of them have already acquired the necessary skills by working at garment industries in other areas.

It has been observed that construction of garment factories in these areas will uplift the living standards of the people. The Government has taken steps to provide all facilities to improve the apparel industry while providing enough incentives to the investors.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet has approved the proposal by the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Sri Lanka, Rishad Bathiudeen, to establish 5 projects to promote the garment industry in the Welioya Divisional Secretary’s division and another 5 projects in the Musali Divisional Secretary’s division.

In January-July 2014, Sri Lanka’s textile and garments exports fetched $2.826 billion, as against exports of $2.372 billion made during the corresponding period of last year. Meanwhile, imports of textiles and textile articles increased to $1.254 billion during the seven-month period, compared to imports worth $1. 160 billion made during the same period last year. (GK)

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India