More concessionary loans are in the pipeline for the Enterprise Sri Lanka programme, which offers such loans to entrepreneurs, SMEs and large businesses with the government paying either the total or partial interest to the relevant bank on behalf of the loan recipient.

Among the newly proposed schemes, migrant workers are to be provided concessionary housing loans of up to Rs. 10 million to be repaid in 15 years with a two year grace period; three wheeler owners will receive concessionary loans of up to two million rupees to convert to a safer and more comfortable mini taxi service.

Minister of Finance and Mass Media Mangala Samaraweera has also proposed a 10 million rupee loan scheme for the construction of elderly care centres.

In all the above cases, 75 percent of the interest rate is to be borne by the government through the Treasury.