SME Times News Bureau | 09 Aug, 2020
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush
Goyal has exhorted the traders community to fully contribute towards the
Aatamnirbhar Bharat campaign.
Speaking to the traders’ fraternity on the
occasion of the National traders’ day today through virtual interaction, he
said that they should undertake Customer Awareness drive to make people buy
make in India goods.
He also called upon them to act as the
whistleblowers, in exposing the unscrupulous traders and businessmen who are
hell-bent on importing poor-quality goods from unfriendly countries.
Goyal said that Trading community will benefit a
lot from the AatamNirbhar Bharat campaign, as good quality products made in
India will usher in economies of scale, thereby lowering prices, and also
making our products competitive in the international markets.
This will lead to more employment opportunities
and prosperity of the people and more purchasing power. He said that the
Government has already put restrictions on many imported items, which can be
easily produced in the country like Agarbati, Sports goods, TV, telephone,
Tyres etc.
He estimated that almost 10 lakh crore worth of
imports can be easily substituted with the indigenously produced goods. He
asked the traders to push for the PM’s clarion call for “Vocal for Local”.
Goyal lauded the role of traders during the Covid
pandemic, and particularly the lockdown period, by rising to the occasion, and
ensuring the availability of essential goods in every nook and corner of the
country.
He said that Prime Minister has also recognized
the important role played by the traders in the difficult times, and mentioned
the same in maan ki baat. He said that traders have acted as important bridge
between the consumers and producers.
The Minister called upon the traders to
constitute teams which can gather suggestions from various parts of the
country, and also fromdifferent trades.
He said that One size does not fit all and hence
specific recommendations should be made. The Government will take a very
sympathetic and considerate call on such recommendations.
He said that online issue of licences, online
payments of licence fee, longer tenure of licences, decriminalization of laws,
ending discretionary powers of the law-enforcing agencies, and simplification
of rules are the genuine demands of the traders.
He however cautioned the community to identify
and isolate the elements within which resort to malpractices and give a bad
name to the fraternity, by misusing the benefits and relaxations provided by
the authorities.
The Minister, assuring full support to the
trading community, said that the Government has announced various initiatives
for their relief, including many in the recently announced AatamNirbhar scheme.
He said that Railways has also taken many
initiatives, including running of parcel trains, kisan train, speeder movement
of goods trains, upgradation of goods shed, Opening of Business development
Cells in various Railway offices, which will help in easier and cheaper
movement of goods.
Goyal assured the fraternity that National
Traders Welfare Board will be soon constituted. He called upon the traders to
add their employees also in Traders pension Scheme. The Minister also invited
the traders to join the GeM, the Government procurement portal.