Revised guidelines to help restore supply chain; availability of labourers still major concern: GCPL

FMCG major Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) on Thursday said the new guidelines would help the companies restore the supply chain in the second phase of the lockdown.

However, availability of labour for the industry is still the biggest challenge in scaling up production, and the government should encourage people to come back to work in a "graded manner", it added.

Terming the availability of labour as critical in scaling up production, it has suggested the government to have tripartite dialogues with worker associations/unions and industry to allay the health and safety concerns of the workers and a Covid-19 insurance scheme.

We are hopeful that the recent guidelines issued by the government will help restore supply chain operations in this second phase of the lockdown, in a staggered manner.

It will be critical to ensure that these guidelines are uniformly and speedily implemented on the ground to avoid stock shortages and to ensure availability of essential items, GCPL Managing Director and CEO Vivek Gambhir told PTI.

According to him, the government is attempting to strike the "delicate balance between lives and livelihoods through a gradual revival of economic activity.

A gradual ramp up of manufacturing in key sectors, while ensuring that the appropriate safety standards and hygiene protocols are in place is a welcome step, said Gambhir.

He also said that it was important for the government to encourage people to come back to work, in a graded manner.

Labour availability continues to be one of the biggest challenges in scaling up production. Bringing back workers to their workplaces through compassion and care would be critical, he said.

Gambhir has also said that concerted efforts are also necessary to support farmers, daily wage earners, migrant workers and MSMEs, particularly, who have suffered greatly from this crisis.

Rural growth has been significantly impacted over the last few quarters, and we hope for some impetus from allowing agricultural and horticultural activities to resume for the harvest, he said.

The government on Wednesday issued new guidelines for the second phase of lockdown and allowed functioning of industrial units located in rural areas from April 20 although all kinds of public transport continue to be suspended till May 3.

India is presently going through an unprecedented lockdown since March 25 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.