Apparel associations strike against Budget

Textile associations across India are up in arms against the

Union Budget for 2011-12 which has proposed a mandatory excise duty of 10 per cent for all branded readymade garments and textile made-ups. In protest against this imposition of excise duty by the government, the industry has called a closure of one day work today, March 4. CMAI, South India Garment Manufacturers, West-based based knitting and garment associations are all joining in. Rallies and sit in protests are also being organized across India. All major centers like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Tirupur, Ludhiana, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Indore, Saharanpur, Bangalore and Varanasi are participating in this one day bandh.

Rahul Mehta, President, CMAI, addressing a rally said “We are confident that government will have to reconsider this. All garment manufacturing units, big, small retailers and retailers associations are with us. We have already aligned a meeting with Revenue Department. State Excise Department has also been advised not to harass manufacturers as the discussions are on.” Likewise, all the Bengal-based knitting and garment associations have come together terming that the budget adds fuel to textile inflation fire and it is like adding more burden on a common man terming it as “aam aadmi par aur bhoj”.

The Gujarat Garment Manufacturers Association will be gathering its members and carrying out a protest with dharna at Gheekanta in Ahmedabad. The South India Garment Association has announced closure of activities for a day today and is submitting a memorandum to the Governor, Chief Minister and the Chief Commissioner of Excise and Customs in Bangalore. The Intimate Apparel Association of India (IAAI) has also called for a bandh today. There will be a gathering of around 5,000 people at Azaad Maidan in Mumbai to stage a protest against this newly passed law.

The various federations will be appealing to the government to immediately revoke this excise imposition and save the common man along with the millions of workers involved in readymade and hosiery industry and the small and medium entrepreneurs who are already are at brink of collapse. This move will allow the textile industry to resume normal operations which have been suspended since March 1, 2011 and provide a more conducive environment to grow and meet the targets set by the government.