Surat textile strike: Manufacturers-traders willing to do business under GST, shops to open soon: SRTEPC

New Delhi, July 14 (KNN) The textile industry in Surat has been affected badly as the manufacturing units, traders and retailers remained shut due to the ongoing protest against GST. While the strike continues, majority of the traders as well as the industry comprising of hundreds of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) want to resume the business.

Talking to KNN, Narain Aggarwal, Chairman of The Synthetic & Rayon Textiles Export Promotion Council (SRTEPC) informed about the latest development.

He said that in Surat the situation is bad, due to the ongoing strike against the GST, there have been losses amounting to more than 4000 crores.

He further informed that not everyone is opposed to GST, majority of the traders and manufacturers are willing to start businsses and adapt to the tax.

“More than 50 per cent of the businesses want to resume under GST, they however are demanding certain procedural ease which even the government is willing to consider, but due to the group that doesn’t want to let the business happen there is a chaotic situation," he said.

Aggarwal informed that a delegation of traders has met the Police Commissioner demanding security while opening their shops, to which the Commissioner has agreed and has asked the traders to submit an application in writing.

He said that in case the businesses don’t operate soon, the loss is to mount up further with the peak sale season approaching.

Aggarwal informed that the leading associations are in talks to find a way to normalize the situation. For now they have identified the Surat textile market area in the centre of the city that has more than 1000 shops, the market is likely to resume from Monday with the support of police.

Commenting upon GST with regard to the manufacturers he said that the industry comprising mostly of the MSME units is willing to embrace the GST, most of the units have already registered with the GSTN. (KNN/ DA)