Haryana Deputy Chief Minister, Dushyant Chautala on Friday urged the representatives of the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) to not lay off their employees or to stop their wages during the nationwide lockdown in the wake of COVID-19.
He said, the Centre as well as the State Government is looking forward to resume production in industries in a phased manner after April 14.
The Deputy Chief Minister who also holds the portfolio of Industries and Commerce said this while presiding over a meeting with the representatives of ASSOCHAM regarding COVID-19 through video conferencing.
Chautala assured the representatives that under the Government's Work at Home scheme during the lockdown period, the payment of Goods and Services Tax (GST) refund to MSMEs will be started from April 13. Directions have also been issued to the Excise and Taxation Department in this regard, he added.
The Deputy CM said that the impact on production in industries due to COVID-19 has been witnessed not only in Haryana but across the Nation and also Worldwide. Therefore, make plans to resume production in a phased manner in industries after April 14, he added.
He said that the workers who were staying inside the industries till now, should now be shifted to dharamshalas or other place so that social distancing is maintained and no community transmission is prevented.
The Deputy Chief Minister called upon the industries of ready-made apparel to consider starting the production with one-fourth of manpower by maintaining social distancing. Similarly, the production in the automotive sector could also be started with less workforce. He informed that the plywood industry has also been allowed to start production with workforce of less than 30 labourers.
Additional Chief Secretary, Finance and Planning Departments, T.V. S.N. Prasad informed the representatives that all the liabilities of the industry towards the State Government have been postponed till April 30.