The Maharashtra government will resume industrial activity in special economic zones (SEZs) and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) areas in 20 districts from April 20, Industries Minister Subhash Desai said on Thursday.
These districts have been identified as posing “least danger” to economic activity because the number of COVID-19 cases are the lowest here, he said after finalising a review proposal for Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.
The government hopes that by relaxing lockdown guidelines, it could facilitate opening up at least 60% of the total 4.5 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) in the State by the end of this month. “As per our information, six districts in the State have zero COVID-19 cases and rest have only one or two cases. There is no harm in keeping all the protocols in place to open up businesses and economic activity here as per the Centre’s guidelines,” Mr. Desai said.
With the national lockdown being extended on Wednesday, the Centre issued fresh guidelines to all States to permit some industries, with riders, to operate after April 20.
Maharashtra has about 230 industrial zones developed by the MIDC. The relaxation will not apply to 12 municipal corporations, which have been declared as red zone, the minister said.
Senior officials said though district borders will be closed, arrangements will be made to allow raw material to come in and out of the industrial zones. Industries will be asked to make special arrangement for food and accommodation of the labour while ensuring social distancing needs and passes for them. “We will present our plan to honourable Chief Minister today,” Mr. Desai said.
Officials of the State Industry Department said it is up to the owners to provide facilities at the plants and factories. “We will help with one time transportation but [owners] will have to make arrangements for sanitisers and masks at the site. Various guidelines have been issued, for example, in the bus the workers will have to sit far from each other and follow other protocol during breaks,” said a senior department official.
The government has already announced incentives for the industries, including directives to impose a moratorium on penalties and interests on power bills pending during the lockdown. The lockdown period will not be taken into account while calculating penalties for pending power dues of MSMEs, officials said.
