The Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, together with the Industrial Development Board (IDB), has concluded the first phase of the Industry Revival Facilitation Programme (IRFP), launched to assist industries affected by the Ditwah cyclone that struck Sri Lanka in late November 2025.
The event was held yesterday (March 10) under the patronage of Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe.
The IRFP, initiated in December 2025 as a public–private partnership, brought together leading private sector organizations to support 43 industries impacted by the disaster.
The Ministry honoured these organizations for their timely contributions, while special recognition was extended to individuals who volunteered expertise in establishing the Industry Disaster Support Centre (IDSC). Their efforts enabled the creation of a centralized database and digital data collection system to assess affected industries.
Among those recognized were Mr. Thilina Kurukulasuriya (Cloud Syntex Pvt Ltd), Mr. Ranga Dayawansha (Floodsupport.org), Mr. Sanjay Elvitigala (eLearning.lk Pvt Ltd), and Mr. Shageevan Sachithanandan.
Preliminary assessments estimate the total economic loss to the manufacturing sector at Rs. 33.96 billion, with raw material and inventory losses accounting for Rs. 10.2 billion. Significant damage was also reported in machinery, equipment, and revenue disruptions, largely due to factory flooding and supply chain interruptions.
Looking ahead, the Ministry announced plans to launch the Industry Development Foster Program (IDFP) to support long‑term recovery and development of industries identified during the initial assessments. (Newswire)
