Jammu, Apr 13 (KNN) The Jammu micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have urged the Jammu & Kashmir’s Lt Governor GC Murmu to defer the purchases through Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal till March 31, 2021.

In a letter to the Lt Governor, Federation of Industries Jammu (FOIJ) appealed Murmu to consider their “request for the Deferment of Purchases through GeM Portal till March 31, 2021 keeping in mind the current situation in the state due to COVID-2019 resulting closure of majority of the MSEs except some units engaged in the manufacturing of essential commodities to supply the goods to Government Department and SICOP to meet the urgent requirement of the Departments.”

The FOIJ members pointed that, “After the Abrogation of Article 370 since August 5, 2019, the MSMEs suffered very badly due to issuance of directions by the Finance Department by the virtue of which it is mandatory for all the Government Departments to purchase the goods only through GeM Portal  of branded products only resulting sharply decline  in the sale of thousands of  MSME working in the state.”

The Federation said it is very difficult for the MSMEs to survive without the Price and Purchase Preference due to stiff competition from outside the state after January 1, 2020 due to abolishing of toll post at all the entry points of the state.

This particular clause has resulted with the suppliers from outside the state have an advantage of supply the goods to Government Departments  due to maximum utilization of the their production capacity.

However, FOIJ said the MSEs in Jammu & Kashmir presently working with the 25 to 30% of their assessed capacity fear that in future, majority of MSMEs may close down due to stiff competition from outside the state for the purchases through GeM Portal by State Government Departments resulting into mass scale retrenchment of local workers. (KNN Bureau)