Mumbai: Industries in rural and semi urban Maharashtra covering about 20 districts can restart their operations Monday onwards as the revised lockdown guidelines issued by the Centre and the state government take effect. However, the companies will have to provide dedicated transport service for employees after the commencement of production.
In the case of Mumbai Metropolitan Region and Pune Metropolitan Region, which come under the red zone or are hotspots, dedicated transport service will not be available, and it will be mandatory for an individual unit to make available residential accommodation for employees and workers within their premises.
The entry of raw material and exit of finished goods will be allowed strictly according to revised lockdown guidelines. The industrial units will have to make self-declaration online to restart its operations.
Chamber of Marathwada Industries and Agricultures immediate past president and leading industrialist Ram Bhogle said there are about 14,000 medium and large-scale units and 4 lakh plus small-scale units whose monthly turnover is Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 1.40 lakh crore and they pay monthly state GST worth Rs 8,000 crore. Of these units, about 50 to 60 per cent units can restart their production in the next 15 days.
However, the government should allow traders also to resume their operations. Otherwise, there will be supply but without any commensurate demand,’’ he told FPJ.
Bhogle said it would be impractical for industrial units to provide dedicated transport service to and from for employees as social distancing may be compromised. Industries Minister Subhash Desai said, "The government accords priority to the resumption of agriculture-based industries.
The government and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation can provide land on a temporary basis to small-scale units to make residential arrangements for their employees during lockdown." He informed that the industries department has submitted its proposal for Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s approval.
A notification will be issued thereafter. IMC Chamber of Commerce and Industry deputy director-general Sanjay Mehta is hopeful that the national guidelines will set at least some part of the state economy rolling.
‘‘But, at the same time, the state government should ensure that the supply chain for manufacturing units does not get disrupted because some of them are in hotspot areas. The government should make sure that proper instructions about these guidelines trickle down to the ground level implementing agencies to avoid a mismatch,’’ he opined.
The Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture President Santosh Mandlecha suggested that there should be clarity about the transportation of raw material and finished goods; permission for online self-declaration should be given in a timebound manner; and the Centre and the state government and their undertakings should provide a package of Rs 25,000 crore to industries to pay wages to their workers.
