Apart from tax-related concerns, the Federation pushed for other key reforms, including the establishment of a welfare board for MSME entrepreneurs and the creation of district-level trade centres to promote MSME products. | Photo Credit: Rebecca Cook
The Tamil Nadu All Entrepreneurs Federation (TAEF), Coimbatore has urged the State government to roll back increased electricity tariffs, reduce various business-related taxes, and fulfil its pending 2021 poll promises in the ongoing Budget session of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
The Federation also demanded for the removal of the 15 per cent additional electricity charges on welding units and sought a complete waiver of rooftop solar network charges for MSMEs, according to a statement.
“The industry EB users were paying ₹35 as fixed power charges for 112 kW, but it was revised to ₹160. Due to this, we now pay over ₹17,000 in fixed charges every month. This should be withdrawn immediately,” said M Jayabal, State General Secretary of TAEF.
He also highlighted that while the government had permitted industrial electricity consumers using 12kW or less to migrate from the 3B tariff to the 3A tariff, the policy is yet to be implemented despite an official Government Order (G.O).
TAEF also strongly opposed the State’s annual increase in electricity tariffs and called for its immediate discontinuation. “These price hikes are crippling small and medium enterprises,” Jayabal stated.
Apart from tax-related concerns, the Federation pushed for other key reforms, including the establishment of a welfare board for MSME entrepreneurs and the creation of district-level trade centres to promote MSME products. They also recommended that TASMAC liquor shops open only in the evening to safeguard industrial workers’ health.
The Federation further appealed to the State government to press the Centre to remove the 11 per cent import duty on cotton and withdraw the QCO BIS orders, which they claim are burdening industries. They stressed the need for raw materials to be made available at international prices to ensure fair competition.
TAEF Chairman M P Muthu Rathinam stated that the Federation is planning a State-level industry conference in November 2025 in Coimbatore, which will bring together over 400 industry associations.
Published on March 20, 2025
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