Jammu, Jun 17 (KNN) Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has demanded financial relief to compensate their losses in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) due to lockdown imposed by the government in order to contain the spread of COVID-19.

In this regard, the Federation of Industries Jammu (FoIJ) held a meeting, on Tuesday, to discuss the issues related to the acute financial problem being faced by the Industrial sector of Jammu and Kashmir due to lockdown imposed by the government since March 25.

''MSMEs here are suffering very badly due to partial functioning of the units since March 25 due to lockdown imposed by J&K UT administration to break the chain of COVID-19 virus,'' FoIJ said.  
MSME also alleged that despite a task force constituted by the government to provide the immediate relief to the industries but till date no relief is provided to the industries here.

''Keeping in mind all the facts in the post COVID-19 situation, a task force has been constituted by the government to provide immediate relief to the Industries, tourism, hotel and hospitality sector etc but till date no relief is provided to the Industrial sector,'' FoIJ added.

''In spite of several representations by FoIJ, in respect of waiver of minimum/fixed demand charges/reimbursement of salary/wages for the lockdown period, waiver of bank interest on working capital/ term loan but nothing has been taken into the consideration resulting great resentment amongst the MSME sector,'' it added.

MSME also claimed that several states have already provided the relief to the industrial sector by waiving off minimum/fixed demand charges and other reliefs for the lockdown period but no such relief is provided in J&K.

''Since, August 5 last year, the industry in J&K is suffering badly,'' FoIJ said.

They requested Lt Governor GC Murmu to come forward to save the MSME units here who are providing employment to lakhs of the local residents.