VELLORE/TIRUPATHUR: Medium and small entrepreneurs are keeping their fingers crossed in the wake of the Centre’s announcement on partial lifting of the lockdown from 20 April to allow industrial activities as the possibility of immediate resumption looks remote.
Constraints in the supply of raw materials and mobilisation of the workforce are the two major factors worrying the entrepreneurs.
“We cannot get required raw materials immediately to resume operations. Most of the labourers have already left for their hometowns and can’t return at short notice,” observed MV Swamynatthan, president of Vellore District MSME Association.
In a major industrial hub like Ambur, located in Tirupathur district, entrepreneurs do not have access to even ATMs as bank branches and ATM centres were closed down as part of the total lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19.
“We are not able to pay advances to labourers who have been stranded here. No ATM is functioning in Ambur,” said an entrepreneur.
He noted that it was difficult for exporters to resume production as shipping activities had been crippled.
Small and medium entrepreneurs are looking for a financial package to give a leg up to the sector which has been reeling under extreme stress due to the current lockdown.
“We have already been suffering from the impact of GST. Now, the coronavirus pandemic has hit us hard. Several units will have to be closed down due to the stress. What we want the government to do is to come out with a viable financial package that delivers the goods to the sector,” the entrepreneur noted.
Vellore region, consisting of Vellore, Tirupathur and Ranipet districts, has a range of industrial units from leather based industries to coir making, offering employment to nearly 1.20 lakh in about 40,000 MSME units.