(UTV|COLOMBO) – Work on the Bingiriya Export Processing Zone (EPZ), the biggest EPZ in Sri Lanka, will be launched under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today (March 4).This is the first time in the last 15 years that work on a new EPZ is to be launched in the country which will give a new impetus to the economy by facilitating foreign investment, exports and job opportunities, Development strategies and international Trade, Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara said.
He said this new EPZ would be developed in three stages. Under the first stage, an area of 164 acres known as German watta will be developed to establish 25 new factories providing 10,000 direct and 3,000 indirect employment opportunities.The second stage would involve the development of 282 acres in Gorakagasara for the establishment of several new factories providing 25,000 direct and 10,000 indirect employment opportunities.
When the third and final stage is completed, the entire EPZ would cover an extent of 1,200 acres and the the entirety of its factories would provide 75,000 direct employment opportunities. The entire development process in the Bingiriya EPZ would take nearly 8 to 12 years for completion.Deputy Minister Nalin Bandara said the Bingiriya EPZ would make a major contribution towards strengthening the national economy.
“Among the industrial factories set up there would be heavy and light engineering industries, Information Technology and related industries, vehicle spare parts factories, vehicle assembling factories, external services institutes, garment and food processing industries,” he said.
Deputy Minister Bandara said the entire EPZ would be built in an environment friendly manner as all feasibility studies had been already complete in this connection. A water supply scheme has also been launched to coincide with this event water supplies to the second stage of this project.
The Rs.15 billion Ma Oya project launched under a Hungarian aid scheme would provide pure drinking water to people in Bingiriya, Kuliyapitiya and Katugampola electorates.The road network in Bingiriya is also being modernised to facilitate these projects.
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