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UP govt clears confusion on resuming industrial activities
To begin with, the District Industries Centres (DICs) across the state started issuing forms and a set of undertakings to be filled by local industrialists who want to restart their units.
The Yogi Adityanath government on Tuesday came up with more clear guidelines related with reopening of industrial units across the state.
To begin with, the District Industries Centres (DICs) across the state started issuing forms and a set of undertakings to be filled by local industrialists who want to restart their units.
For districts such as Noida, Meerut and Agra, where cases of COVID-19 are high, the guidelines are more stringent.
The form and the set of undertaking to all industrialists who want to resume production was sent through email.
“We are submitting forms and in the next 24-hours permission is likely to be granted. I am hopeful that from Thursday onwards industries will start in the state capital,” said Awadesh Agarwal, president, Indian Industries Association (IIA), Lucknow chapter. The IIA is an industry lobby body of the MSME sector.
The government has directed industrialists to start operation with 33 percent to 50 percent of their work force.
“A 25-point undertaking has been issued by the state government. We have to abide by all instructions to check spread of COVID-19,” said Agarwal.
It may be pointed out that all sugar mills and industrial units categorized in ‘essential goods’ category are already functioning.
The state government has already issued instructions for reopening of all industrial units in rural areas.
“Government has responded positively to our requests. The district industries centre across the state have issued forms to industrialists who want to resume production.
In the next two days, there will be some industrial activity in the state,” said Pankaj Kumar, national president, IIA.
With the government exchequer drying up and expenditures increasing with each passing day in fight against COVID-19, the government wants industries to start functioning.
However, even after clear guidelines from the Centre and the state government, district magistrates at the local level failed to set the industries in motion in their regions, say industry experts.
JOINT MEETING OF ALL INDUSTRY DEPARTMENTS
The entire industry ministry of the state government conducted a joint meeting on Tuesday to make sure industrial activities begin at the earliest.
The Industrial Development minister Satish Mahana and MSME and Khadi minister Siddharth Nath Singh conducted a joint meeting with all officials of the industry department.
Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner Alok Tandon, principal secretary (Industry) Alok Kumar and principal secretary, MSME, Navneet Sehgal along with other officials were present.
In the meeting it was decided that the Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner will conduct a meeting with the state home department and issue guidelines for industries.
At the local level, district magistrates will implement these guidelines and will also make sure that there is no harassment of industrialists in the name of inspection.
