Restore excessive purchase policy measures: ASIUTOP

Puducherry, May 3 (UNI) Association of Small Industries of the Union Territory of Puducherry (ASIUTOP) today urged the Centre to restore the excessive purchase policy measures to produce items of micro sector traditionally, which do not commend export market or direct public consumption.

In a letter to Minister for Small Scale Industries, Mahabir Prasdad, today, ASIUTOP Secretary K Parthasarathi pointed out that the small sector was severaly affected by the new credit and purchase policies and urged the Minister to correct the injustice done to them.

He also urged the Centre to grant a minimum of 30 percent of the government store purchase order to micro sector, to restore 15 per cent price preference policy as hitherto and to fix the bank rate of micro sector credit at PLR minus 2 percent or 9 percent, whichever is lower.

Mr Parthasarathi also regretted that when the procedural aspect of the MSMED Act was being finalised, the government was eliciting suggestions and comments from the state level SSI NGOs before the procedure was launched. However, when more relevant and important measures like credit and purchase policies are formulated, such healthy practices had not been continued.

UNI