Bokaro: The Bokaro Chamber of Commerce and Industries approached the Union Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking revival of several industrial units that have been facing unemployment and production issues after the Covid induced lockdowns. The chamber wrote the letter to familiarise the minister with sufferings of industrial units located in Bokaro.
Although the industrial units, majority of which are dependent on Bokaro Steel Plant, were spared from the lockdown curbs but their production and sales were severely affected after the lockdown. The industrialists also claimed that they are in a dire situation and need immediate support from the government.
Chamber President Sanjay Baid said, “Without full resources, non-availability of oxygen, shortage of raw material, working with 50% labour, non-availability of transport etc, the local industry was working and producing in adverse conditions. Due to this, the ordered goods could not be delivered on time.”
Baid further added, “We have requested the Union Steel Minister to ensure that the Public Sector Undertakings (PSU’s) issue a fresh purchase order to the units, which have not been able to supply the ordered goods during the Corona period, along with deducting late fee on the goods supplied by such units.”
An industrialist in Bokaro, Sidharth Parakh said, “Covid has broken the backbone of industry and trade resulting in unemployment and poverty. Government can change this challenge into an opportunity. Economic Reform can boost this industry.”
The chamber has insinuated that a Core Committee should be constituted by the Purchase Department of BSL, a unit Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), which should work for guidance and redressal of the difficulties and problems that are being faced by these units. Baid added that SAIL should play a vital role in the Prime Minister’s endeavour to promote ‘Vocal for Local’. BSL should supply its secondary products in priority to the industries operational locally since the past 30-35 years in the district who take out huge loans from banks and provide extensive employment. This will encourage the industries here.
