E-Paper
Covid impact: MSMEs want temporary closure of units
Lucknow: With all economic activity coming to a standstill due to corona curfew, the MSMEs also want to close their units till the situation normalizes, as production has been adversely affected
Lucknow: With all economic activity coming to a standstill due to corona curfew, the MSMEs also want to close their units till the situation normalizes, as production has been adversely affected.
Though the state government has exempted industrial activity from corona curfew , production and maintenance work has been affected in almost all units.
Industrial lobby bodies have also pointed out that the state government has not accepted some of their demands, making it tough for them to continue running their units.
“As transport services are off the roads, industries are finding it difficult to procure raw material and send finished products to stockists,” said Manmohan Agarwal, senior vice president, Indian Industries Association (IIA).
“We have requested the state government to exempt transport companies from the purview of corona curfew. Unless offices of transport companies are allowed to open, there will be no movement of trucks on roads. In such a scenario, industries cannot be run,” Agarwal added.
“If the situation continues like this, we will be left with no option but to shut down our units till the situation normalises,” he added.
Industrialists pointed out that units in Noida were working at minimum capacity.
A disrupted supply chain and low work force have reduced production to bare minimum at industrial units in Noida, Meerut and some other parts of the state.
“The government has issued a GO (government order) permitting industrial activity even in this second wave of Covid-19. But workers have left for their homes, fearing the pandemic,” said Rajiv Bansal, national secretary, IIA.
He pointed out that the workforce had shrunk to 5000 from 50,000 in Noida even when factories were not shut.
As all shops are closed except for those related with essential items, industrialists are finding it hard to get maintenance work done in their units if there is any technical problem.
“We have also requested the government to allow all essential shops related with industries to open at least for two days in a week so that maintenance work may be carried out, if required,” pointed out Bansal.
