‘Exempt Industrial Sector from the Lockdown’- Urge Kanara Small Industries Association
Kanara Industries Association,(KIA) previously known as Kanara Small Industries Association (KSIA) is a premier industrial body established in 1978 and since then has been continuously dwelling on the welfare of its members.
At the outset we appreciate the constant support provided by the Dakshina Kannada District administration in facilitating the running of industrial operations. After the ease of lockdown restrictions, MSME industries in and around Dakshina Kannada have slowly resumed its operations and most of the industries are operating at a bare minimum of 40% of their total capacity and are slowly finding momentum.
Ajith Kamath, President, Kanara Industries Association (R)
However, with the sudden surge in the number of covid cases in Dakshina Kannada, we understand that the district administration is considering several steps to control the pandemic including a further lockdown in the district. In the event of such a situation, we request the administration to grant exemption to the industries. The industrial sector contributes around 26% to the GSDP. A closure at this stage will not only impact production and cause loss of jobs, but will also cut the GST collections which will deeply hamper our state economy revival. Further, it will also cause reverse migration of workers who have just started coming back to the state and district and it will be very difficult for the industries to get them back to the district.
In this regard, we are confident that the administration will follow examples from other places like Chennai, Pune and Delhi where lockdown was imposed but industries were allowed to operate with adequate safeguards as the imposition of lockdown on the industries will severely impact industrial production and curb attempts to restore normalcy.
In the eventuality of the lockdown being imposed in Dakshina Kannada, we request you to kindly exempt industries from the lockdown and we also request you to consult industry stakeholders while formulating guidelines on the lockdown.
Submitted by : Ajith Kamath, President, Kanara Industries Association (R), Mangaluru
