Business of 25 thousand crore rupees will be affected across the country
This year, the Holi festival is going to prove colorless for traders across the country. After the Covid lock-down, the retail sector of the country was awaiting the celebration of Holi starting this year for a long time. Holi marks the beginning of the biggest festival of the year and people also shop fiercely on this festival. Every year, about 10 thousand crore goods were imported from China on Holi to be sold in India including Holi colors and toys.
But last year, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT)’s call for a Chinese boycott on Diwali got huge support across the country and as this campaign is still going on, Indian traders saying great no to Chinese products bought Indian goods in bulk to be sold on Holi, preparations were also on to supply similar items in the market. But after the COVID guidelines issued on Holi in all the states including Delhi, traders all over the country are very worried as traders have got a huge stock, which is currently difficult to sell due to the covid outbreak.
Amidst a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases, Holi festival will be silent this year. The Central Government has already asked the States and Union Territories to take adequate measures to check the rise in the number of Covid cases happening just before the festive season.
National President of CAIT, Mr. B. C. Bhartia and National Secretary General, Mr. Praveen Khandelwal said that the practice of celebrating Holi through congregational meetings, Holi Milan celebrations and street hangings has been going on for centuries. Small traders have also been benefiting from such programs, which have now been curbed.
Every year in Delhi alone, on the occasion of Holi, about 3000 big and small events have been organized. The number of such big and small celebrations is around 40 thousand all over the country, but now neither Holi will be stirred nor the fun of colors will be experienced. Apart from this, when there is no social program this year, people will prefer to stay in their homes. This is the reason that there is a decline in shopping that takes place a week before Holi and the market is deserted. This year, shopkeepers may have to suffer a lot in the purchase of toys of Rang, Gulal, and Holi, but there is little hope in the sale of sweets, namkeen, herbal gulal, flowers, and puja items.
According to the guidelines by the state government a ban has been imposed in organizing any kind of social gathering or celebrations on Holi this year. The Delhi Disaster Management Authority also ordered on Tuesday that on Holi, Shab-e-Baaraat, Navratri, there will be no public celebration in the city. On the other hand, after the advice of the Central Government, similar Covid Guidelines have been issued in almost all the major states of the country, which will have a direct impact on business.
Due to the increase in Covid cases, this year people are scared and have also decided to celebrate Holi at home, due to which there has been a tremendous decline in the business of Holi. According to an estimate on Holi, there has been a business of about 25 thousand crores across the country, out of which around 1500 crores worth of business has happened in Delhi alone. But this year the business is going to be severely affected. Due to this, there is a clear disappointment on the faces of the traders.
