On National Sports Day, sports goods manufacturers cry for fund, govt support

Jalandhar, Aug 29 (KNN) On the National Sports Day when much focus is being given to support and promote sports in the country, the sports goods manufacturers, who are mainly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), pointed that the sector is going through a tough time due to cut throat competition from the neighbouring countries due to lack of fund and technology.

“The sector  is on the verge of collapse because the manufacturers cannot compete with China, Taiwan and other neighbouring countries because of lack of technology,” said Vipan Mahajan, General Secretary of Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (SGMEA), Jalandhar.

Talking to KNN, he alleged “We are not getting any help from the government in the form of good infrastructure or any other schemes for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). Nothing has actually happened at the ground level. MSME schemes are just on papers only and have many hidden criteria.”

“Even if we want to conduct any programme for sports manufacturers, government does not provide any aide for the programme,” he said adding “Associations don’t have any money for that purpose.”

Being labour-intensive in nature, the industry provides employment to more than 500,000 people. The domestic industry exports nearly 60 per cent of its total output.

The General Secretary informed that exports of sports goods are of around Rs. 1000 crores and the market for sports goods in India is huge. “But the thing is that goods are not made in India; they are coming from China, Taiwan etc,” he said.

“Local people are labelling and trading them. They (Countries) have flooded the domestic market and captured the international market too. We are not able to compete with them,’’ cried Mahajan.

He blamed that local government is not helping. “We are clamouring for research and development and skill development centres but nobody came ahead. They are not ready to give a 500 yards plot for the centre,” he said.

Mahajan demanded that the Government should give them latest technology and should provide fund under the skill development programme.

Jalandhar and Meerut account for nearly 75 per cent of total production. Together, the two towns house more than 3,000 manufacturing units for sports goods and 130 exporters. The Indian sports goods industry also has a presence in the cities of Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, albeit at a lower scale. (KNN Bureau)