Mysore/Mysuru: The Industries Department has sent a proposal to the State and Central Governments for announcing a special package for the MSME Sector in the State, said Minister for Large and Medium Scale Industries Jagadish Shettar.

Speaking at a meeting of various Industrial bodies and Industrialists at ZP Hall here this morning, the Minister said that the State Government will do everything to address industrial issues in the post COVID-19 scenario.

Soon as the meeting began, representatives of Industrial bodies led by Mysore Industries Association (MIA) President Vasu, who is also a former MLA, presented a memorandum containing their charter of demands to the Minister.

The demands included exemption of  MMD charges in power bills (2months) for all Industries, a 50 percent discount in Industrial Property Tax (2019-20), advancement of working capital by KSFC and other financial Institutions at half the interest rates, immediate release of subsidy for Industries and waiver of EMD Deposits for Industrial purchases and procurements among others.

Priority to Tier-2 cities

Speaking after receiving the memorandum, Jagadish Shettar said that the Karnataka Government is giving priority to Tier-2 cities for promotion of Industries and has proposed to hold a Global Investors Conference in Mysuru later this year in order to attract Industrial giants from across the globe to set up Industries in Tier-2 cities like Mysuru. 

Stating that MNCs which prefer Karnataka for setting up industries  in the coming months after translocating from China and other countries will be awarded, Shettar said that the State will do everything needed for attracting industrialists from all  parts of the globe.

Lauding the district administration for successfully preventing the spread of Coronavirus, he said that factory owners should convince migrant workers not to leave the State by reassuring them on the advantages that they have in working here. However, migrant workers cannot be forced to stay put here as they too have their family bondage in their native places, he said and added that Industries now are free to function by following a rotational policy among their workers in keeping with the 50 percent cap.

Asserting that the ban on Industrial transportation has been relaxed to a large extent, he said that the Government is considering amendment to the Labour Act in respect of wages as Small Scale Industries were finding it too difficult to adhere to some of the provisions of the Act. 

Noting that he has come to know that only 25 percent of the industries have opened post-lockdown relaxations in Mysuru, Shettar said that the Government will extend all possible help for the revival of  MSME Sector which is hard hit by the nationwide lockdown.

 On gas tragedy

On Visakhapatnam gas leak mishap, he said that Industries should ensure proper safety and precautionary measures at workplaces. Taking serious note of the incident, the Chief Minister has advised Industry bodies to give utmost priority for safety measures, he added.

Referring to Nanjangud’s Jubilant Generics, the cluster centre of COVID-19 in the district, he said that the Government will take the right decision at the right time on the restart of the factory.

Reiterating that the Government was committed for safeguarding the Industrial sector in the post-lockdown scenario, he called upon Industrialists and entrepreneurs to convert the COVID-19 induced disadvantageous situation into an advantageous one by judiciously using all the facilities extended to them by the Government.

Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar, who also spoke, said that Industries must opt for self-certification in respect of standard safety and operating procedures in order to ensure the safety of workers.

District Minister S.T. Somasekhar presided over the meeting. MP Pratap Simha, MLAs S.A. Ramdas, L. Nagendra, B. Harshavardhan, G.T. Devegowda and C.S. Niranjan Kumar, MLCs Dharmasena and Sandesh Nagaraj, ZP President Parimala Shyam, CEO Prashant Kumar Mishra, SP C.B. Ryshyanth, MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh, MCC Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde, MIA Secretary Suresh Kumar Jain, former CII Mysuru Chairman N. Muthukumar, Industrialist N.H. Jayanth, Chandrashekar of Nanjangud and other officials were present.