COIMBATORE: The Tamil Nadu All Entrepreneurs Federation (TAEF) has appealed to the state government to fulfil its pending poll promises made to the MSME sector in this ongoing budget session.

“The government had consented to allow industrial electricity consumers to migrate from 3B tariff to 3A tariff and even passed a government order (GO), but the same has not been implemented yet. From a fixed charge of Rs 35 for 112 kW, the charges have been revised to Rs 160. So, the industries were forced to pay more than Rs 17,000 as fixed charges every month. It should be withdrawn,” said M Jayabal, state general secretary of TAEF to the media.

Similarly, the hiked property tax, stamp duty, and commercial tax should be reduced. “In addition, a welfare board for MSME entrepreneurs should be formed and a trade centre established in every district to market products manufactured by MSMEs,” he added.

Since the MSME sector provides ample job opportunities, more funds should be allotted to the sector and a separate budget prepared for the MSME sector. In the ongoing budget session, a resolution should also be passed urging the centre to drop the 11 per cent import duty for cotton.

Further, raw materials should be made available at international prices, so that all members could procure them without any issue, the members claimed. The TAEF also sought to completely cancel the solar network charges for MSME’s.

MP Muthu Rathinam, chairman of TAEF said that a state-level conference will be organized in November 2025 with the participation of over 400 industry associations from diverse industry fields to discuss their issues.