The Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development held an awareness program in Colombo on 18 November, chaired by Deputy Minister Chathuranga Abeysinghe.
The event aimed to educate the private sector about the upcoming National Productivity Awards Competition. This competition is organized every two years by the National Productivity Secretariat (NPS), which operates under the Ministry.
The primary objective of the program was to strengthen cooperation between the public and private sectors to promote organizational excellence, innovation, and productivity throughout Sri Lanka. The government intends to offer various incentives and relief measures to businesses that successfully enhance their productivity
In his remarks, the Deputy Minister emphasized that achieving an industrial renaissance in the country requires local businesses to develop plans to increase their productivity by a minimum of 30%. He affirmed that the government is prepared to prioritize high-productivity entrepreneurs—specifically those with a vision for the international market—for services such as low-interest loan concessions and land grants.
Currently, the Ministry of Industry, working through the NPS, provides local institutions with free knowledge on productivity concepts.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the significant cost savings this offers, noting that obtaining similar services internationally typically costs approximately $2,000 per day, while domestic services cost a minimum of Rs. 100,000.
This knowledge sharing is undertaken voluntarily by professionals from leading private sector organizations who view the initiative as a national duty.
Looking ahead, the entire program is scheduled to be implemented via a fully digital platform. The NPS aims to register 2,000 institutions for the next National Productivity Awards Competition.
The recent educational initiative aimed to:
1. Enhance awareness regarding the 2025/26 National Productivity Awards.
2. Increase participation from the manufacturing and service sectors.
3. Build the organizational capacity necessary for institutions to compete effectively at the national level.
The Ministry provided practical insights on how to accelerate business transformation in the production and service sectors in conjunction with the National Productivity Program.
The session also covered how to improve operational efficiency and how institutional leaders can best position their organizations for business excellence and global competitiveness.
The event was attended by officials including Secretary of the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Tilaka Jayasundara, and Director of the National Productivity Secretariat, Niranj S. Jayakody, alongside entrepreneurs from numerous local entities.
