Hooda seeks relief for MSME sector

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Friday urged the government to provide special relief to MSMEs and cottage industries, saying this sector is the backbone of the economy and their collapse would cause massive unemployment.

Incomes have reduced to zero due to the lockdown and the revenue of the entire (MSME) sector has come to a grinding halt. Despite this, the entrepreneur is constantly burdened with his workers' salary, loan instalments, rent, commercial tax and fixed electricity bill, the Leader of the Opposition said.

He said the Small Scale Industry Manufacturers Association has sent a memorandum to him, as per which many of the industries are on the verge of closure and up to 40 percent of industries will shut down if they do not get government help soon.

 

This can lead to a large-scale unemployment. Therefore, it is important to consider the demands of these industries while there is still some time for recovery and special economic relief should be given to them, the senior Congress leader said in a statement.

Hooda said if our MSME sector is strong, it will also strengthen the economy of the country and the state.

The entrepreneurs play a big role in building the state and the nation and this is the time for the government to stand with them, he said.

The Leader of Opposition, meanwhile, claimed many complaints related to non-payment of salaries, mostly contract workers of many departments, have been brought to his notice.

Employees 'organizations say that about 20,000 employees of a dozen departments and organisations of the state have not yet received their three months' salary.

Most of them are temporary workers, working on contracts which anyway provide very little salary. Employees' organizations say contract workers of Health Department, Accredited Social Health Activists, Supervisors of Women and Child Development Department, regular employees of Tourism Corporation, Anganwadi workers, drivers and contract workers of Roadways Departmenthave not received salary, he claimed.

Hooda also claimed that even doctors, our real heroes who are leading the fight against Covid-19, have not yet received the salary of the month of March.