Exempt small industries from rigid rules: Vinay Hegde

Nitte University Chancellor N Vinay Hegde said small scale industries should be kept out of rigid labour laws.

He was speaking after inaugurating a national vendor development programme organised by the Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises at Karnataka Polytechnic College premises at Kadri in Mangaluru on Friday.

He said small scale industries play a vital role in the development of a country and observed that competition from China is the new problem for these industries.

“There is a minimum price differencebetween the raw materials produced by China and those by India and the former is cheaper. There is also the issue of the quantum of money that has to be invested in the industry and the issues of quality. Due to all these reasons, many small scale industries have been closed,” he said.

Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo said he spoke to the principal secretary (Industries) about the problems of small scale industries and suggested the setting up of an industries development authority with a single window system. This will help the industries to thrive in the district, he added.

Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association (Kassia) V  K Dikshit said the tariff for industries has been increased by the government though there is no continuous power supply.

He demanded the implementation of a separate tariff system for small scale industries. Kassia will approach the court about gazette notification by the government for the implementation of minimum wages, he said.

Branch MSME-DI, Mangaluru Deputy Director K Socrates, DIC, Mangaluru Joint Director Gokuldas Nayak and KSIA Mangaluru President Henry C F Britto were present. A seminar and an industrial exhibition were organised on the occasion.