Industries here have welcomed the State government’s announcement of relaxations for lockdown that will continue for one more week.
According to Southern India Mills’ Association chairman Ashwin Chandran, permitting exporting units to operate with 25 % workers will enable the textile mills to function with workers staying in hostels on the mill premises.
The South India Spinners Association said that small-scale textile mills also plan to resume partial operations from Monday according to the government announcement. It has written to the Chief Minister on Friday seeking time for payment of electricity charges.
Coimbatore District Small Industries Association president M.V. Ramesh Babu said that permitting export units to work with 25 % labourers would benefit those units. With no support from banks and the MSMEs not permitted to operate, it is a difficult situation for the units. The government officials are also taking action on units that are operating without permission. The MSMEs need to pay wages though the units are not functioning, he said.
According to J. James, president of Tamil Nadu Association of Cottage and Tiny Enterprises, continuing lockdown for industries will hit hard the micro units as there is no support from the government to these units that are not functioning for a month.
Banks have started insisting on the units to repay the dues. If the government does not support, the micro units will be wiped off, he said.
