Mumbai: In what would be a major breather for industries in Maharashtra, the state government proposes to allow reopening of units other than those in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and the Pune Metropolitan Region (PMR), which are severely affected by the coronavirus pandemic and fall in the under red zone.
Industries Minister Subhash Desai told FPJ, ‘‘I have asked the task force comprising industries secretary, development commissioner, Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation CEO and officers of the public health department to prepare a proposal by Wednesday.
The industries which fall in the green or orange zones, where the spread of coronavirus pandemic is minimal, can restart by strictly adhering to social distancing and other norms.’’
Desai further said the industries will have to make provision for residential accommodation of the workers, as they have to remain on the premises. ‘’Only the movement of raw material and finished goods will be allowed.
The task force is expected to come up with a detailed proposal by Wednesday and it will be submitted to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Only after the CM’s approval, industries other than those in red zone can restart,’’ he noted.
Desai’s statement has to be seen in the backdrop of the Union home ministry’s clarification that inter-state and intra state movement of trucks and goods carriers is allowed, notwithstanding the good are essential or non-essential.
No separate permit or approval is needed for cargo movement and empty trucks or goods carriers are also allowed, as they may pick up of goods and return after delivery.
A Department officer said in view of the home ministry’s directive, there are no curbs on inter district movement of workers.
‘‘The state government will issue a notification in a day or two. In Ranjangaon industrial estate, almost 80% of the workers come from Pune district. There, the units can restart but they will have to put up the workers on their premises or within the industrial area,’’ he added.
The officer informed that the industrial unit can restart by making an online self-declaration. ‘’However, its operations will be monitored by the district collector and the MIDC as it will have to comply with COVID 19 norms,’’ he pointed out.
According to the officer, there are about 70,000 industrial units in MIDC-run 286 industrial estates spread over the state. Besides, there are 1.25 lakh manufacturing and other units situated in other areas.
Further, Desai said his department is also of the view that agriculture produce industries can restart as it will give relief to the farming community. ‘‘It was also decided that state agencies should charge power and water charges based on actual consumption.
The state government will also appeal to the Centre to direct banks to increase the loan availability for small scale industries, so that they can pay at least two months of salary to workers,’’ he added.
