PSUs just about limping back under pandemic’s grip

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

The Public Sector Units (PSUs) within the State, lots of which had nearly come to a halt following the COVID-19 outbreak, have been slowly limping back to normalcy prior to now two months, with a rise in attendance ranges and manufacturing. However, some PSUs are nonetheless going sluggish with manufacturing because the industries that rely upon their merchandise are but to completely open up.

According to sources within the Industries Department, the impression of COVID-19 had continued even after the preliminary lockdown interval as attendance ranges remained low for months. Even later, the declaration of containment zones, both within the locations the place the businesses are situated or the place their staff are coming from, had hampered operations. The situation started to enhance by September, with greater than 60% utilisation being reported in lots of items. The try now’s to carry back to full operational ranges by this month.

In September, the State authorities made amendments to the Public Procurement Policy, by which State PSUs and native Micro and Small Enterprises (MSME) are getting worth desire as much as 15% in all procurement of presidency departments and Local Self Government Institutions. Also, as much as 50% of the order amount have to be purchased from the PSUs and the MSMEs. If there are a number of State PSUs in competition, they’re to be given equal proportions of the 50% order. Sources say that this has begun reflecting within the departmental purchases.

For among the corporations, together with Travancore Cochin Chemicals and Travancore Titanium Products Limited, the operations of among the corporations which rely upon their merchandise are restricted. Some of those PSUs have tried to rake in income by manufacturing alternate merchandise together with hand sanitisers, hand wash and cleansing options. The largest gainer on this area has been the Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals, which was fast to launch sanitisers, enabling a common fall in costs available in the market. The TTPL additionally lately launched comparable merchandise.

The State authorities’s 17 textile mills within the cooperative sector have additionally opened up, and have ramped up manufacturing, even because the National Textile Corporation’s mills within the State have remained closed since March. The staff of the NTC’s 4 mills within the State have been on strike for the previous 70 days, demanding re-opening of the mills and fee of advantages.