Anantapur: MSME sector badly mauled by Covid pandemic

Anantapur: The Medium Small and Micro Enterprises (MSME) like in any other district is going through a very difficult phase courtesy first and second Covid waves. The talk of a third wave is sending chill into the spines of MSME entrepreneurs and workers.

On an average every MSME unit is running with 30 to 50 per cent capacity. The first Covid wave had landed the MSME sector in doll drums as industrial units were shut down completely for 4-5 months while industry functioned for another 6 months with a single shift and reduced capacity. The first and second waves had landed the industry in financial quagmire resulting in downing the shutters of some units while large number of units had been running on single shifts.

The industrial units are barely able to pay power bills. Daily wage labourers had been laid off while permanent workers have been retained but managements are struggling to pay salaries to their regular employees. This is landing the managements in indebtedness even to pay 50 per cent of salaries.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Seshanjaneyulu told The Hans India that if the third wave strikes again and lockdown is reimposed, then it would send death knell to the MSME sector and majority of industrial units will have to close permanently. Most of the industrial entrepreneurs are showing courage and running the industry against all odds.

Added to the bleak financial prospects is the loss of many industrial workers and even managers during the current ongoing second wave. Many had succumbed to virus while migrant workers, who had left and are in their native states and villages have not returned. The second wave had consumed many experienced industrial workers and their loss had demoralised industry managers.

There are 6,442 MSME units in the district and 68 large and mega industrial units. An estimated 3 lakh workers are in the MSME sector. The home economy of 3 lakh families are in jeopardy and in a state of indebtedness. Many of them unable to make their both ends meet had been going to government sponsored NREGS works. Children's education is in doll drums and family economy is in shambles.

Many new projects worth Rs 33,000 crores which are expected to boost industrialisation are now in a state of uncertainty. These new industrial ventures would have generated 3 lakh jobs and many prospective employees of the new projects are now on the crossroads with new waves of corona badly battering the industry.

Industrial managers are disappointed at the stony silence of the Central and state governments on the sorid state of affairs in the MSME sector. Of course, large and mega industries too are in bad shape and are at the receiving end.

Except salaries employees of Central, state and local governments and those covered under the welfare schemes by the state government, all other sections of the society are helpless and are looking for some miracle to change their bad fortunes triggered by the infamous Covid pandemic which came out of thin air and playing hide and seek game with the humanity, says Suryanarayana, an industrial worker, who lost his job, in a philosophical tone.