Sri Lanka will save around Rs. 1 billion from the ban of import of batik and handloom and also by doing away with the voucher system for issuing school uniforms , Minister of Small & Medium Business and Enterprise Development, Industries and Supply chain Management Wimal Weerawansa said.
The Government will be able to save around Rs. 450 million by providing school uniforms through local manufactures direct to regional offices of the Education Ministry.
This is a step taken in the right direction to kick start a new ‘Made in Sri Lanka Apparel Industry’ according to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election manifesto, Saubagye Dekma’ (Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour). He said that the import ban was implemented due to nemours requests made by the local handloom, batik and other manufactures of school uniforms who met the President recently.
The Minister said that it was decided to source the stitching of school and Army uniforms from Sri Lanka as much as possible and only to import as a last resort. In addition it was decided to source all other needs of garments in hospitals and other garments institutions with quality locally produced material whenever possible.
These initiatives and the assurance given not to import batik and handloom will enable local manufactures to reinvest and revive this industry.
Discussions are also on the way to explore the possibility of both government and private sector employees coming to work clad in national, handloom or batik uniform, one day of the month. (SS)
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