The mask that CAIT will distribute. (Express photo)
Now train passengers will get locally manufactured glasses, face masks and head rests.
In a bid to boycott Chinese products, Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) members have begun distributing own manufactured glasses, face masks and back rests in trains of respective areas. It is part of the nationwide campaign of boycotting Chinese goods across the country — “Indian Goods- Our Pride”.
Harish Garg, president of Chandigarh chapter of CAIT, said that they will begin distribution of these glasses, face masks and back rest in all trains going in and out from Chandigarh this week. These items have already been distributed in Delhi-bound trains.
“All bodies have been told to do it in their respective states and areas. So we will begin distribution this week, first in all Rajdhanis and Shatabdis,” Garg said. “The face mask and the glass have a message of CAIT’s campaign — Indian goods – our pride.”
Traders will promote this campaign wearing this mask. By December 2020 about five crore glasses will be distributed in all the Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains for catering purpose, he added.
He also specified that in the beginning of this campaign, the railway catering company, RK Group and Sankalp Foundation, collaborated with CAIT, becoming its first partner. “Similarly, CAIT will connect with a large number of organisations and other institutions across the country to introduce its own locally manufactured items,” he said.
The traders stated that they aim to achieve reduction in imports of Chinese manufactured goods by 1 lakh crore by December 2021. In the first phase of this campaign, CAIT has made a list of 3,000 items which are currently imported from China which they say are replaceable by Indian-manufactured goods.
The goods which are imported include finished goods, raw materials, spare parts and technology products. The traders’ body stated that they have decided to boycott finished goods imported from China in the first phase.
Campaign on social media
According to the traders, this campaign will currently run on video conferences and social media, especially Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp! More than 40,000 merchant organisations and 7 crore traders associated with them will participate in this campaign, they said.