High time to announce a package for traders: CAIT

New Delhi, Apr 29 (KNN) The traders' body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has said that it is high time for the announcement of relief measures for them.

In a statement on Tuesday, CAIT said that it has written to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, saying that the government has announced several packages of other sections of economy but the trading community is still awaiting a package.

''If an adequate package is not given to traders, the domestic trade in the Country is likely to be collapsed to a large extent. Since, the retail sector is largest employment provider after Agriculture, it is all the more necessary to provide relief to this sector,'' said CAIT.

The CAIT further said that in case of drought etc, the Government has always provided a package to the farmers and COVID-19 is as like draught for the traders and as such the business community should also be given a stimulus immediately.

''It is matter of satisfaction that about 45 lakh traders across Country played a key and crucial role in maintaining supply chain of essential commodities quite effectively and there was no shortage of any material all over the Country,''  said CAIT National President B C Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal.

CAIT also said that the Covid-19 is quite an unprecedented pandemic restricting all movements of the traders to their homes. The traders were expecting that a package by the Government will be given to traders around April 14th but almost 14 more days have gone and as of now there is no word about the package which is worrying the traders and disturbing them, a lot for their future.

''The traders put risk to their lives and serve the citizens of India and as such have a right to ask the government to provide economic stimulus package. They said that if no package is given to traders, the retail trade business in India will see its worst days and, in all likelihood, large number of traders will land themselves into bankruptcy,'' CAIT avowed.