Coimbatore: As the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown imposed to contain its rapid spread have left businesses in lurch, members of the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (Codissia) have urged the state government to take steps to help industries.
Businessmen are weighed down by loans, taxes, electricity bill, building rent and other operating expenses as business activities have come to a halt. Only 30% of businesses, including foundries and exporters that are exempted from the lockdown, are functioning in the district, said Codissia president M V Ramesh Babu. “They are also struggling. In this situation, it would be of great help if the government could provide us additional loan up to 20% under emergency credit line guarantee scheme for half the interest rate at 6%,” he said.