A delegation of Nag Vidarbha Chamber of Commerce (NVCC), leading treaders body of the region having 13 lakhs members, met Ravindra Thakre, District Collector Nagpur, and Radhakrishnan B, Commissioner Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
The delegation lead by Ashwin Mehadia, President of NVCC demanded that business activities must be permitted from June 1 and a relief package must be given to the traders. Copy of the memorandum was also marked to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackrey, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and Guardian Minister Nitin Raut.
Ashwin Mehadia clarified that traders are financially broken due to the more than a yearlong lockdown and due to financial crisis, they have become mentally frustrated. Traders are supplying goods to the public and at the same time contributing in the Government treasurer too.
The Government runs on the tax paid by the traders. “If the business is closed, from where the trader will pay the tax?†Mehadia questioned. He also asked that why all restrictions for the traders only.
Mehadia also said that due to the last three month lockdown, traders are unable to pay their staff. The staff is also facing financial crises. “Employees are facing grave like situation. Its duty of the Government to declare relief package for the traders, so that they can come out of the situation. Traders must also be allowed to do business,†Mehadia demanded.
Umesh Patel, Joint Secretary added that soon the rainy season will start. The stock dumped in the shop from last three month may spoil, due to moisture. “Traders are more harassed not by the lockdown, but due to close of business,†Patel said.
Swapnil Ahirkar, another Joint Secretary added that when the recovery rate is improving day by day, business activities must be permitted, with some ristrictions. Also present was Rajwantpal Singh Tuli, Public Relation Officer, NVCC. Â