Industries seek eight hours uninterrupted power supply

The micro and cottage industries here have sought uninterrupted power supply for eight hours during day time.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said on Wednesday that the Government has taken steps to ensure a minimum of four hours of continuous power supply for small industries.

Inadequate

Though this is a welcome measure, it is inadequate, say representatives of the micro sector here.

The industries need uninterrupted power supply for eight hours.

If this is not possible, the supply should be in two slots (each four hours of uninterrupted power supply) with just one hour of load shedding in between, says J. James, president of Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Micro Enterprises Association.

S. Ravikumar, president of Coimbatore Tirupur District Micro and Cottage Enterprises Association, says that for the last few days the industries were getting four-and-a-half hours of power supply in the day time. However, this needs to be rescheduled to ensure that the supply was uninterrupted.

Mr. James says that the micro sector has been hit by the power cuts and was finding it difficult to continue operations.

Loans

The Government should extend interest-free loans to these units through the Tamilnadu Industrial Cooperative Bank (TAICO).

The units registered with the District Industries’ Centre should get Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 5 lakh loan that can be repaid in three years.

Similarly, the units should get 50 per cent subsidy to buy generator and the rest of the money should be available as loan from TAICO Bank.

Solar

Mr. Ravikumar adds that the micro industries will not be able to go in for solar systems as the cost is high.

The micro industries should be given 75 per cent of the project cost as loan with low interest rates so that they can look at joint solar projects.