The Ministry of Small and Medium Business and Enterprise Development has received Cabinet approval to establish Business Services Centers (One Stop Shops) across the country. The One Stop Service Center will focus on facilitating regulatory functions and Business Development Services. The Ministry will coordinate the establishment of these service centers at the national level in coordination with the District Secretariat in all 25 Districts.
The Business Service Center model was conceptualized and presented to the Ministry by the EU funded Enterprise project implemented by Chrysalis together with British Council and CARE Germany with technical, legal and administrative support from officials of the former Ministry of Industries and Commerce.
The pilot programme will be launched in Monaragala with the financial and technical support of Chrysalis’ Enterprise Project. The model will be replicated via Chrysalis in three more centers in Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Badulla based on the learning. The Ministry of Ministry of Small and Medium Business and Enterprise Development has agreed to adopt the same process which has been introduced in Monaragala in all the other districts.
The One Stop Service Center will help to establish links with appropriate government organizations and facilitate their approvals through a single window. Further the Center will assist individual enterprises to obtain required services from service providers on technology improvement, product improvement, quality control, skills development and market access. The center will also possess a data base on marketing, demand and supply in the local and international markets.
The Business Service Centers will be housed within the District Secretariat and the staff required to manage the center will be facilitated by the District Secretariat. Service provision organizations operating at district level will work closely with the center and provide their services based on the need. The center will be equipped with a web portal which will be linked to BDS providers, Regulatory Authorities, Financial Institutes and Banks to serve the MSMEs.