Varanasi: The hardships of silk yarn traders and textile industry of Varanasi, who started facing the impact of novel coronavirus outbreak in China as early as in December 2019, have further increased with the lockdown and is now looking up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their MP, for respite.
The Banarasi textile industry has sought PM’s help and demanded interest waiver on EMIs, extension in moratorium period, relaxation in fixed rental charges on electricity bills and reimbursement of part of labour wages.
UP Vyapari Kalyan Board member and leading silk yarn trader Harshpal Kapoor has sent a charter of demands to the PM on April 13, and Bharatiya Janata Party MLC, Ashok Dhawan, who is also the patron of Banarasi Vastra Udyog Association (BVUA) has been pursuing it.
Kapoor said the Banarasi textile industry is facing a crisis since imports have plummeted as the Covid pandemic has hit the economies of the importing countries from Europe, America and other continents. “There is impact on domestic market too due to lockdown. There is no hope of orders from importing countries in near future while marriages are being postponed. The revival of our industry is not possible by the year end. So, we have urged the government to support the industry,” he added.
“After setbacks during demonetisation and GST launch, the Banarasi silk and textile industry has been hit by the pandemic. Over 20 lakh people are directly and indirectly dependent on our industry in Varanasi region,” Kapoor said.
Apart from the cost of raw material, labour, bank interest and electricity add to the cost of textile. Due to complete stoppage of commercial activity in lockdown there is zero revenue earning, hence we are seeking relief, he added.
The traders have sought six-month moratorium on monthly instalments, waiver of bank interest and bank charges also for six months.
The industry is paying salaries, but if government doesn’t provide economic stimulus, the possibility of large scale unemployment in the sector in coming months can’t be denied.
BVUA’s yarn coordination committee vice chairman Vaibhav Kapoor said the Rs 5,000 crore industry started facing problems in December 2019 as China halted silk yarn export till February. When China opened export in March, the lockdown started in India, he added.
The Banarasi textile industry has sought PM’s help and demanded interest waiver on EMIs, extension in moratorium period, relaxation in fixed rental charges on electricity bills and reimbursement of part of labour wages.
UP Vyapari Kalyan Board member and leading silk yarn trader Harshpal Kapoor has sent a charter of demands to the PM on April 13, and Bharatiya Janata Party MLC, Ashok Dhawan, who is also the patron of Banarasi Vastra Udyog Association (BVUA) has been pursuing it.
Kapoor said the Banarasi textile industry is facing a crisis since imports have plummeted as the Covid pandemic has hit the economies of the importing countries from Europe, America and other continents. “There is impact on domestic market too due to lockdown. There is no hope of orders from importing countries in near future while marriages are being postponed. The revival of our industry is not possible by the year end. So, we have urged the government to support the industry,” he added.
“After setbacks during demonetisation and GST launch, the Banarasi silk and textile industry has been hit by the pandemic. Over 20 lakh people are directly and indirectly dependent on our industry in Varanasi region,” Kapoor said.
Apart from the cost of raw material, labour, bank interest and electricity add to the cost of textile. Due to complete stoppage of commercial activity in lockdown there is zero revenue earning, hence we are seeking relief, he added.
The traders have sought six-month moratorium on monthly instalments, waiver of bank interest and bank charges also for six months.
The industry is paying salaries, but if government doesn’t provide economic stimulus, the possibility of large scale unemployment in the sector in coming months can’t be denied.
BVUA’s yarn coordination committee vice chairman Vaibhav Kapoor said the Rs 5,000 crore industry started facing problems in December 2019 as China halted silk yarn export till February. When China opened export in March, the lockdown started in India, he added.
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