MSMEs To Rally Against Crippling Power Crisis

The managements and employees of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in AP have decided to take up a rally on September 12 in protest against the state government's failure to address the acute power crisis.

Talking to reporters at Media Point in the Secretariat, after submitting a memorandum to Industries Secretary Pradeep Chandra over the power issue, the MSME Joint Action Committee convenor M M Reddy said that the protest rally would start from Baghlingampally, and conclude at Indira Park, followed by a massive convention highlighting the problems of small industries.

He said that Industries Secretary Pradeep Chandra has assured the delegation that he would bring the issue to the notice of higher officials and ministers concerned. Stating that small and medium enterprises need 12% of power, he said however, that the government was only supplying a meagre 4.5%.

In the protest rally, he said that the entrepreneurs and employees would seek the support of all political parties, and ask them to mount pressure on the government to supply quality power.

"In a state that has seven lakh SMEs with about 45 lakh employees working in them, it is very difficult for the entrepreneurs to run the industry for 15 days due to power shortage and pay salaries to employees for the full month. The only way out is closing our units and shifting them to new pastures," said M M Reddy.

Accusing the government of not honouring the promise of lifting power cuts from the industries, he alleged that nearly 11,000 industries have closed their units due to the shortage of power in the state. He also alleged that some employees have committed suicide due to financial problems.

"At least now the government should focus its attention on supplying quality power to small industries, and protect the interests of employees and entrepreneurs," he said. (INN)