Garment manufacturers and small and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) seeking financial assistance

The garment manufacturers in Tiruppur and the Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in Coimbatore have requested financial assistance from the Union government as their units have been closed for a month due to the state lockdown.

According to Raja M. Shanmugham, president of the Tiruppur Exporters' Association, the State government should allow exporters to work with available labourers and resume production.

The federal and state governments should also ensure that the industry can vaccinate all of its employees.

According to A.C. Easwaran, president of the South India Hosiery Manufacturers' Association, the knitwear industry suffered greatly last year during the 43-day total lockdown to control the pandemic.

The government should allow the units to begin working with 50% labourers in order to prevent losses and create jobs for more workers.