The Minister was speaking at a press conference at the Finance Ministry Auditorium 4th September.
Minister Samaraweera further said that the second edition of the Enterprise Sri Lanka-Gamperaliya exhibition will be held in Kurunegala in mid December 2018, while the third and the fourth editions of the exhibition will take place in Anuradhapura in February, 2019 and Jaffna in May 2019 respectively.
Furthermore, the government will introduce a free Hot Line No. (2025) exclusively for the Enterprise Sri Lanka initiative by next week.
Accordingly, the public will have the opportunity of making suggestions, making inquiries with regard to the Enterprise Sri Lanka loan facilities etc..
Commenting on the engagement of the local banking sector with the Enterprise Sri Lanka loan scheme, Minister Samaraweera expressed his dissatisfaction noting that some of the banks are willing to issue loans for their existing customers rather than issuing loans for new customers under this scheme.
The enthusiasm of some of the banks with regard to the Enterprise Sri Lanka loan scheme is not that great, the Minister said.
According to Minister Samaraweera, around 5,175 aspiring entrepreneurs had registered with the Enterprise Sri Lanka loan scheme at the recently concluded Moneragala exhibition.
The Minister said however banks that have already partnered with Enterprise Sri Lanka loan scheme will determine the eligibility criteria of the registered persons in the coming days.
Within the first year of the Enterprise Sri Lanka initiative, the government hopes to groom 100,000 entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka, he said.
According to Minister Samaraweera, the government has allocated Rs.500 million to build toilet facilities for 25,000 families in the Moneragala district.
The government will also invest around Rs. 600 million over the next four months in three selected electorates in the Moneragala District to develop rural roads, rural markets and other public works. These measures will help improve economic activity and kick start broader consumption across the country in a sustainable manner, Minister Samaraweera said.
In addition, the government hopes to rehabilitate a number of rural tanks and lakes in the Moneragala District, which will have a major impact on agricultural productivity and agricultural incomes that have suffered during the previous droughts, he added.
Furthermore, the government intends to create Haritha Udyanaya or Green Parks which will bring the ancient Athenian concept of nourishing ones body, mind and soul to the village covering every Divisional Secretariat. The government has already laid the foundation stones for Green Parks in Wellawaya and Moneragala, the Minister said .
Haritha Udyanaya which would have Wi-Fi facilities will also be provided with a library, gymnasium and a roof-garden for meditation, yoga and other religious and spiritual activities.
Minister Samaraweera further said that the government has identified 10,000 families and 333 rural schools which require basic toilet facilities in the Hambantota district.