CII seeks to keep industries out of partial lockdown ambit

‘Need to minimise disruptions, cope with associated uncertainties better’

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has appealed to Telangana government to keep industrial activities out of the ambit of partial lockdowns aimed at restricting social gatherings.

This will help the State recover from economic contraction and stabilise the upward growth trends being currently witnessed in several sectors, it said on Monday, while reiterating support to the government in the fight against COVID-19.

Coming amid a surge in number of those getting infected and the possibility of lockdown being imposed, CII has made similar appeal to other southern States too, sources said. A statement from the industry body said the recent spike in COVID-19 cases poses a challenge to sustain the growth momentum in the southern States, which had witnessed positive signs of economic revival before the onset of the third wave.

Chairman of CII Southern Region C.K.Ranganathan said: “saving lives and sustaining livelihoods of people is equal priority for CII and it will work towards educating communities on COVID appropriate behaviour and also support in the vaccination drive. I would like to place on record the outstanding support rendered by government of Telangana to industries...”

Ensuring continuity and sustainability of businesses during the ongoing COVID crisis is extremely important, especially for micro, small and medium enterprises, CII said.

Deputy chairperson of CII-SR Suchitra K. Ella said the Telangana government should opt for coordinated restrictions to ensure economic recovery is not hit and ensure industries are not pushed to sudden restrictions at the ground level which will be a hit for them especially the MSMEs.

CII Telangana chairman Sameer Goel said it is working with the State government to minimise impact on economic activity by educating the member companies on the COVID protocols and vaccinations. Vice chairman Vagish Dixit said: “all of us need to be well prepared to safeguard the health and wellness of our employees through strong emphasis on COVID appropriate behaviour in private and professional life. We need to minimise the disruptions and cope with the associated uncertainties in a better manner.”