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‘Govt unsympathetic to small-scale industrialists’
Gagandeep Singh, who runs a casting unit, isn’t sure how long he can support his workers
City-based industrialist Gagandeep Singh, believes the government had been unmindful to the plight of small-scale industries when it imposed the lockdown.
Gagandeep, 38, runs a casting unit on Dabba Road with his father Tarlochan Singh. They have 12 employees most of whom hail from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
“The government has asked us to pay workers’ salaries and provide them with groceries but they have hardly taken into account our financial condition. We have our own expenses to meet and with operations shut we are struggling,” he says.
Ask him what should be done to alleviate industrialists’ concerns, Gagandeep says, “The government should exempt electricity bills, waive interest on cash credit (CC) limits, overdraft (OD) limits and clear pending GST refunds so that we are able to survive these difficult times and also help our workers.”
Gagandeep, a father of two, says he has been in constant contact with all his workers and had already provided them with grocery supply for a month.
“I have been trying to help them as much as I can but I do not know how long I will be able continue. Small-scale industrialists like me are in the dire need of some relaxation as we also have our family to look after,” he said.
Gagandeep, a Model Town Extension resident, says he spends the lockdown helping his wife and mother with household chores and making sure his kids catch up with school work.
