MSMEs’ role vital in Aatmanirbhar Bharat: COSIA
| Date :06-Jul-2020 |
Business Bureau :
MSMEs who are the major contributors to nation’s economic growth, and their share in GDP, export and job creation in the country is quite significant. It has been widely recognised by everyone in the country and therefore it has got attention althroughout the country, Mayank Shukla, Chairman of Chamber of Small Industry Associations (COSIA), Vidarbha Chapter said.
Yet this is not enough, as after a long lockdown period of more than 60 days, it has not been able to stabilise because of numerous problems, they are facing. Although Government is trying to support them in this period of crisis to come out of the woods, still it is feared that more than 35 per cent of industrial units are facing closure. Stimulus packages announced by Government is not being availed by the MSME sector because of uncertainty in the situation, he said. “Further more they are facing a situation of total uncertainty regarding production facilities and consumption demand. Now, when the monsoon season is already active, and pandemic COVID-19 is not showing any sign of slowing down, the export orders are in doldrums, the earlier orders are facing cancellation because of undue delay in execution how the MSMEs will be able to meet out the repayment of increased liabilities after the moratorium period is over,” Shukla wondered. If Aatmanirbhar Bharat Nirman has to become a reality in a stipulated time, these MSMEs needs to be supported and encouraged in moving towards backward integration.
“The dependency of our country on intermediate products and vital machineries on other countries has to be reduced on war footing,” he suggested. Elaborating further on the issue, CA Julfesh Shah, Vice- Chairman of COSIA said, “The Research and Development Department of our technical and professional colleges has to work in hand to hand in co-ordination with Industries, to develop import substitute products and process that will enable our products self reliant, competitive in cost and quality.”
“Mass production of PPE kits, which used to be entirely imported earlier and now the present situation is we are in a position to export it to other countries, this has become possible in a period of few months. It shows our strong will and determination,” Shah added. “The same zeal and enthusiasm we have to show in moving towards backward integration, becoming self reliant and reach the goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Nirman’. We are not only facing migrant labour problem but also facing a problem of brain drain, we not only have to stop this migration of intellectuals but we have to bring them back from outside,” he suggested.