TIRUCHY: Hundreds of ancillary units, primarily MSME units, that depend on contracts from PSU major BHEL are weighed down by debt, dwindling skilled manpower and a severe liquidity crunch and are struggling to remain relevant. From a peak of 450 ancillary industries that once powered BHEL’s ecosystem, many have shut down or shifted to other trades.
“Since 2018, we’ve faced one blow after another – first India’s climate commitments, then Covid-19 lockdowns and bad debts. Only a few units now have the strength to bounce back,” said S Ashok Sundaresan, member and former president of the BHEL Small and Medium Industries Association (BHELSIA).
According to him, the most pressing challenge is the acute shortage of skilled…