Establishment of Regional Offices
In terms of Section 7 of the Monetary Law Act, Central Bank is allowed to have, inter alia, branches in other places in Sri Lanka as necessary. Accordingly, there are six (6) Regional Offices (ROO) currently operating under the purview of the RDD, in Matara, Anuradhapura, Matale, Kilinochchi, Trincomalee and Nuwara Eliya. Matara Regional Office the first ever Regional Office of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka that was established in March, 1981. Regional Area covered by each Regional Office consist of at least 3 districts.
Main Functions of the Regional Offices are as follows;
- Representing the Central Bank at regional level
- Encouraging and promoting regional economy by providing access to finance through the banking system and coordinating other related services
Accordingly, ROO, under the guidance of the Regional Development Department of the CBSL, mainly focus on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Financial assistance is provided and promoted through credit camps, banking clinics and credit linkages while providing credit plus services mainly under the following areas;
- Capacity building and skill development Programs
- Technology transfer programs
- Market linkages
- Supporting the implementation and coordination of key functions of the CBSL at regional level as indicated below;
- EPF related matters
- Data collection related to various economic activities and other related survey activities on the instructions of the CBSL
- Taking measures to improve awareness of the general public, , public and private institutions including law enforcement agencies, at the regional level on the functions and services of the Central Bank, formal banking, financial services provided by authorized/licensed financial institutions and the loan schemes implemented by those institutions and on the identification of counterfeit currency notes by conducting awareness sessions, seminars and workshops.
- Selling central bank publications, commemorative coins and notes at regional level
- Supporting to achieve the objectives set under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) by coordinating stakeholders at the regional level.
