Industry goes through a bad patch

SHOMA PATNAIK | NT

Panaji: Although manufacturing activity in the state was the first to be released from lockdown restrictions, it is plain and simple that the local industry has a long way to go to recover from the ongoing coronavirus calamity.

Speaking to ‘The Navhind Times’, members of the Goan industry said on Tuesday that it will take several relaxations in the lockdown for operations to come back to normal.

“From the lockdown 2.0 to the present  lockdown 4.0, companies have only managed to take small steps for revival,” said sources in the industry.

“The Goan industry is just thankful that it has been allowed to function during the COVID crisis. Permission to operate during the lockdown was one of the key demands of the industry. Presently, however, units are working but not able to produce to potential,” disclosed Blaise Costabir, president, CII-Goa.

The CII-Goa president explained that local units are  part of the bigger ecosystem and unless the overall economy opens up it will be difficult to ramp up.

“The industry across India (wherever it has been allowed to reopen) is facing this problem. Every company is dependent on somebody else for raw material, finished goods, etc.,” added Costabir.

President of Goa Small Industries Association Damodar Kotchkar  said that there are not one but several issues preventing the local industry from picking up.

He said the  shortage of raw material is a key issue as the state gets all its raw material from outside.

“Local units are dependent on units in neighbouring states for raw materials,” explained Kotchkar, adding that industries in red zone states continue to remain closed. Kotchar said the absence of employees and workers is another difficulty.

“Units have been unable to get back their workers residing across  the state borders. So far about 1,200 workers, of the 5,000 living across the state borders, have returned.

“The government is giving us permits to bring back workers but locals are opposing. They are against outside workers quarantined in hotels in the vicinity,” said Kotchar.

All the pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in the state are functioning. However, industry sources revealed that companies are  working at 30-40 per cent of the capacity. The industry in the state was allowed to open from April 20 during the lockdown 2.0 that lasted from April 14 till May 3.

According to state government sources, about 95 per cent of the 4.500 units are back to work.

However, ground check reveals that units are finding it hard to come back to normal. Maintaining social distancing norms on the work floor and office is another problem, said members of the Goan industry.