Saturday, October 19, 2024
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Financial aid given for inventors goes down the drain

When Sri Lanka marches forward from the middle income status, it is the responsibility of the government to provide all required facilities and the necessary encouragement for the new inventors to help them in the creation of their inventions and innovations.



The Government’s support for inventors should be extended till the country gains success and if the private sector is not up to the task.
Financial aid granted to inventors has not been achieving the objectives compelling the government to cut down financial allocations towards promoting inventions in the country.

Financial aid totaling Rs.7.72 million had been granted to 11 inventors by the Sri Lanka Inventors‟ Commission in the years 2016 and 2017.

Funds had been granted without carrying out a proper study on the requirement of funds and the instance in which funds are required, recent Auditor General‘s report revealed.

As such, the expected objectives had not been achieved from grants totaling Rs.4.13 million provided in 03 instances.

Introducing Inventions to the Market Sri Lanka Inventors‟ Commission had commenced a project in the year under review for inventors in bringing up a mechanism for introducing their inventions and for promoting research.

A sum of Rs.4.70 million had been spent for the administration affairs thereof by August 2018.

However, no financial aid had been granted to any inventor or researcher. Promoting the Inventive Culture a sum of Rs.1.68 million had been spent for holding a media conference for the formulation of a media policy in promoting and forming an inventive culture in Sri Lanka.

However, a media policy had not been formulated and obtained approval even by June 2018.

(LI)