‘We can no longer paddle our own canoe, Centre must help’

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WORLD BICYCLE DAY
Ludhiana: On the occasion of World Bicycle Day on Wednesday, the industry asked the Union government to announce a special package to save them.
The businessmen gathered at New Cycle Market, Gill Road, on Wednesday and expressed concern over Atlas Cycles (Haryana), Sahibabad, one of the biggest bicycle manufacturers of India, closing its production indefinitely.
Bicycle industrialists, led by Achhru Ram Gupta, senior vice-president of Wholesale Bicycle Dealers’ Association, Manjinder Singh Sachdeva, general secretary of United Cycle and Parts’ Manufacturers’ Association (UCPMA), Rajinder Singh Sarhali, publicity secretary of UCPMA, and secretary Valaiti Das Durga, jointly said, “On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, nothing can be worse than to know that Atlas Cycles Limited, Sahibabad, which is one of the oldest bicycle factories of India, is no longer in a position to run its operations due to financial constraints. This has happened due to the step-motherly treatment meted out to the industry by successive governments. No timely steps were taken to improve the situation. If the Sahibabad unit shuts down permanently, not only thousands of jobs will be lost, but hundreds of other small factories in Ludhiana and other parts of the country that have been supplying parts and other components to this company will also suffer. It is our appeal to the Central government to take notice of the matter and save the bicycle industry, which is under immense pressure due to rising losses in the wake of Covid-19 crisis.”
The businessmen said, “The current situation is very critical for the industry as a large number of micro and small bicycle units are on the brink of closure due to rising expenditure and no income. We are further burdened due to the interest charged by banks on big loans taken by us. Moreover, due to the wrong policies under GST, crores of rupees are still blocked with the government as getting refund is very tough. GST council should make tax rate on sale of bicycles and purchase of raw material equal. The state government too should step in and take corrective measures to support our industry, like encouraging use of bicycles in the cities by building separate lanes.”