The small scale industry, which is vulnerable to shocks, has the least capacity to absorb them, and the pandemic has caused irreparable damage in a large number of cases, said KASSIA (Karnataka Small Scale Industries Association).
“It is our rough estimate that about 20% may never be able to restart as a result of the disruptions caused by the pandemic,” said K. Arasappa, president, KASSIA.
He added that this is mainly due to the compounding of the already existent economic slowdown by the COVID-19 pandemic which has uprooted workers and production systems in factories.
“We are suddenly faced with broken supply chains, cancelled orders, over-extended payments, loss of jobs and livelihood, loss of markets, and dried up financial sources posing a serious threat to our very existence,” said Arasappa.
