Nashik: At a time when announcements are being made to develop Nashik as a major industrial hub in Maharashtra, data presented by the Central government has revealed that 840 private companies in Nashik were closed or struck off the register during the last five financial years.
In comparison, 6,433 companies in Pune, 4,704 in Thane, 12,009 in Mumbai City, 1,478 in Nagpur, 822 in Raigad and 654 in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar were recorded under the same category. MP Rajabhau Waje raised not only the issue of companies shutting down but also questioned the rehabilitation and protection of workers affected by such closures in Parliament.
Waje sought answers on whether workers received their legally mandated dues after the closure of companies, including provident fund, gratuity and pending wages, and whether any special rehabilitation scheme was available for affected workers. The Centre, however, clarified that the Ministry does not maintain data on workers affected by the closure of private companies. In cases where a company enters insolvency or liquidation proceedings, workers’ claims are dealt with through the applicable legal process. However, despite 36,211 companies being recorded under this category in Maharashtra, the Centre does not have consolidated data on the actual number of workers affected.
Where is the answer to “How many new industries came in?”
MP Waje also drew the government’s attention to the broader picture of industrial growth and employment generation in Maharashtra. He questioned how many new industries and companies were established in the state during the past five years, the amount of investment attracted, the number of jobs created and how the number of new industries compares with those that have shut down.
The parliamentary response does not provide a clear comparative picture of new industrial establishments, investment and employment against the number of companies that have closed. This has raised questions over the need for the government to place before the public a complete account of not only how many industries are coming to Maharashtra, but also how many are shutting down or moving out of the state.
“Official data presented in Parliament shows that more than 36,000 private companies have closed in Maharashtra over the past five years. The closure of 840 companies in Nashik is a serious matter. The government must seriously examine the reasons behind these closures, the number of jobs lost and what happened to the affected workers. Merely announcing new industries is not enough; existing industries must survive, jobs must be protected, and workers’ rights must be safeguarded when industries shut down.”
— Rajabhau Waje, MP, Nashik
