NOIDA: Supporting the PM’s call for ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Vocal for Local’ campaigns, traders at the Sector 18 retail market under the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) had opted for a complete boycott of Chinese goods and planned to sell their products via Bharatemarket.com.
However, with less than two weeks left for Diwali, the portal is far from functioning. The portal, which promised free delivery of goods such as diyas, madhubhani painting saris, lamps, pots, home decor items, rangolis and handicraft, can only be launched by December even though its logo was unveiled on Friday
Hence, retailers, including jewellers in the market, are gearing up for Diwali festivities without the portal and amid unresolved surface parking issues. The neighbouring markets such as Atta, Indira market, the local sector market etc. have also started putting on display Diwali decoration items such as earthen diyas, pots, rangolis etc.
SK Jain, president of the sector 18 market association, said, “With just two weeks left for Diwali, we have started putting our stock on display to attract crowds and gain some profit. The festival which is being celebrated in a very adverse situation this year, has, however, made us hopeful of recovering the losses that we suffered due to the pandemic. We had hoped to gain from the online platform but now, we will rely on the traditional shopping mode.”
Experts said that consumers avoided buying anything apart from necessary items during the past eight months and are expected to throng the markets for Diwali shopping. Jain said that they are also not leaving any stone unturned. “We have begun decorating our showrooms and also carrying out extensive sanitation drives in the sector with the help from the public health department,” Jain said, adding that they expect sales of around Rs 200 crore for Diwali.