Despite Smriti Irani's assurance, Moradabad brass industry concerned about survival

Moradabad, Aug 31 (KNN) Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani, who was on one day trip to Brass city Moradabad to inaugurate the Moradabad Resource Centre to uplift the artisans and craftsmen by providing better facilities, has assured that the government is concerned about the artisans and craftsmen.

Meanwhile KNN reached to the manufacturers of brass items who pointed that demand of brass made material has gone down in the international and domestic markets.

Mohammad Azim who owns Star Collection said that there is a complete slowdown in the brass industry and  this year 2016 is even worst. Exports are also down.

“We are totally dependent on the industry for bread & butter and other people are also associated with us. Orders are not coming and this is the only way to earn for ourselves,” he cried.

Azim informed that the domestic demand of brass made products is still there but the articles manufactured for them are different. There are different artisans who work for domestic and international markets.

He stressed that electricity supply is main problem which is not regular and the government should provide subsidy on electricity.

“Exporters get cheap loans but the manufacturers do not get,” he complained.

Speaking on the shortage of labour, he said “We are facing huge shortage of artisans and craftsmen. No one is teaching this work to new generation mainly handicraft and casting. Labour is costly which leads to increase in production cost.”

Talking about the cheap Chinese material, the entrepreneur stated that China is selling cheap products here as a result of this the domestic product becomes expensive. "We are not using the machinery and not getting any aid from the government. Whoever is doing business here is doing on his level.”

On the other side, S.K Verma who is an owner of Brass Gallery keeps same sentiments for the industry, he said that no government provides help to us and even “We are facing the same problems as rest of the India is facing.”

“Artisans are becoming invisible because manufacturers are not able to pay the wages. This is the reason the new generation of artisans are not taking interest in this traditional work,” he added.

Speaking on the competition from China, he said that there is huge competition in the market. There is less demand from the international market too. "Product has become expensive. Government does not provide any subsidy to us."

“We get expensive electricity.” He too cried.

However, the central government has called the artisans and craftsmen for a meeting in New Delhi to listen their problems. (KNN Bureau)