MSMEs peeved as demands not met

A steady increase in raw material prices from 25 per cent to 100 per cent in the past year has completely crippled the pump sets, grinder and the foundry sector in the district.

“Copper, which was sold for Rs 500 per kg before the pandemic, now costs Rs 1,200. Similarly, casting has shot up from Rs 60 to Rs 100 per kg. We have been asking the government to form a committee to check such artificial increases. But, lack of any announcements in this regard has left the MSME sector extremely disappointed,” said K Maniraj, president of Kovai Power Driven Pumps and Spares Manufacturers’ Association (KOPMA).

Another major demand of KOPMA, which failed to find a place in the budget, is the need to revive the motor and pump testing laboratory at SITRA. “Currently the testing of motors needs to be done only in private or in a central government-run laboratory, which is a time-consuming process,” he added. There has also been a demand to effect a price cut for diesel similar to petrol.