Former UNP Deputy Leader MP Ravi Karunanayake criticized the government’s handling of the current rice and paddy mill owner issue, stating that while the government protects large-scale mill owners, it fails to provide relief and opportunities to small and medium-scale industrialists to sustain their businesses.
MP Karunanayake suggested that if 4,000 young entrepreneurs involved in the sector were supported through relief schemes or financial provisions, they could take over many functions currently performed by the Paddy Marketing Board.
He further alleged that the government avoids implementing such programs because it lacks the willingness to take risks and confront challenges.
Highlighting an example from abroad, the MP noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, India allocated 10 percent of its GDP to support small and medium enterprises, which helped uplift them significantly.
MP Ravi Karunanayake shared these views in an interview with the website ceylonwire.lk.
