By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, April 12, 2020: The entrepreneurs in micro, small and middle Enterprises (MSME) sector in Odisha look to the central and state government to bail their units out as their units are expected to suffer huge loss due to month over lockdown.

With exports accounting for more than Rs 1500 crore, the MSME sector is likely to suffer a loss of around Rs 3,000 crore as exports is a major part of the MSMEs’ sustenance. The MSME sector in the State which produces essential goods is in a severe crisis as most of the units are shutdown after the coronavirus outbreak.

Keeping this in mind, the State Government on Saturday demanded a special package from the Centre for its revival. Minister of State for MSME Dibya Shankar Mishra on Saturday discussed the issue with Union Minister of State for MSME Pratap Chandra Sarangi, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers Sadananda Gowda and Union Minister of State for Steel Faggan Singh Kulaste.

Majority of their employees and labourers are not reporting to work due to the coronavirus scare. Mishra requested the Union Ministers to create opportunities for revival of these units which have been completely shutdown. However, the Minister was not available for his comments on details about the package demanded by him.

About 5,500 MSMEs went into production with an investment of over Rs 500 crore and as per conservative estimates, around 31,000 persons were employed in this sector and more than one lakh earn their livelihood in related activities.

The maximum number of MSMEs in the State belongs to repairing and services sectors. Food and allied sector also add up to another 22.2 per cent of the units. Besides, engineering and metal sector occupies 11 per cent in total MSME units set-up in the State.

Textiles’ glass and ceramic occupy 7.45 per cent and 7.31 per cent respectively in total MSMEs. Forest and wood (6.07 pc), manufacturing (5.58 pc), Paper and paper products (2.57 pc), chemical allied sector (2.55 pc) are other segments of MSME sector.