While addressing Journalist in 95th International Cooperative day celebration in Kurunagala, Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad said, that a project has been prepared with the road map to the year 2020 with the view to restructure and modernize 100 years old cooperative movement in Srilanka.
Cooperative movement in Srilanka is regarded as the third force in economic development.
In Srilanka 40,500 organizations related to cooperative movement operates with 46,000 employees. It is in this marketing organizations highest members are there. Fifty six percentage are women. This movement is backward due to lack of modernization, shortage of infrastructure and unwillingness of youths to join the movement .
He said, the new project will meet all the shortcomings and attract more youths into this field. Further to provide transport facilities to cooperative stores cabinet approval has been obtained. In addition, activities of the Lanka Sathosa will be collaborated with the Cooperative movement and develop the trade.
Through Lanka Sathosa 8,000 franchise network, which will be collaborated with the cooperative movement will strengthen the consumers.
Although new cooperative policy was introduced 10 years back, it was activated only after I took over. I was able to achieve victory with the help of Ministry officials and Provincial Council Ministers . He thanked all of them for their support to achieve victory , he concluded.
