Ranchi sweetshops face uncertain future

Ranchi: The district administration has recently given permission to open sweetshops with several conditions to prevent spread of the coronavirus, but owners of these shops in the city expressed apprehension about the future of their business under the prevailing circumstances.
A majority of the owners said apart from the dwindling demand, lack of manpower will be a huge hurdle in reopening their shops.
Amitabh Goin, a sweetshop owner, said the initial stumbling block will be mobilizing the workforce. He said, “Our products depend on the skills of the workers. It is a problem for many other owners like me.”
He added, “Under the circumstances, the range of items we make will be curtailed. Earlier, we used to display over 40 to 50 varieties, but now the number could only be around 15. We have to restart with select products, which are commonly in demand.”
Another owner, Sachin Kumar, said his shop will only make items on demand. He said, “However, the fear of coronavirus is likely to have an adverse impact on customers.”
Pointing out that chief minister Hemant Soren had said only a few relaxations would be made in Lockdown 4.0, Kumar said he will wait for a clear-cut directive from the government before reopening his shop.