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Lockdown 3.0: Negligible industrial work in UP, courtesy unclear guidelines
Barring some western UP districts like Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Bijnor and Hapur and some other districts of green zone, industrial activities remained negligible in most places across the state on the first day of lockdown 3.0 on Monday.
Barring some western UP districts like Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Bijnor and Hapur and some other districts of green zone, industrial activities remained negligible in most places across the state on the first day of lockdown 3.0 on Monday.
The lukewarm response to the state government’s initiative to start industrial activity was the result of unclear guidelines for restarting industrial work.
Even in the state capital, no industrial activity took place as industrial associations remained clueless and kept calling government officials for clarifications.
The district industries centre in the state capital refused to take applications from industrialists seeking permission to start production.
The applications have to be submitted manually as there is no online system for submitting applications in almost entire state.
In the next two days, some industrial activity is expected if the government issues clear guidelines in this regard.
“No industrial activity took place in Lucknow in absence of clear guidelines from the state government,” said Awadesh Agarwal, president, Indian Industries Association (IIA), Lucknow chapter.
“We have been asked to submit applications from Tuesday at the district industries centre. Thereafter, permission will be granted to start units,” Agarwal added.
As most of the industries in Uttar Pradesh are in districts that are in 19 red zones, industrialists there did not get permission to start production.
“If the state government wants industrial activity, it must issue clear instructions to all district magistrates to allow units to operate in special economic zones and industrial areas,” said Pankaj Kumar, national president, IIA.
After the Centre imposed lockdown across the country on March 25 to check spread of coronavirus, only around 7000 industrial units under essential goods category are operating.
