Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 5: With their businesses already taking a hit due to the lockdown that was imposed last year as well post abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the cricket bat manufacturers in South Kashmir are seeking relief from the Government in terms of GST.
Scores of manufacturers who are operating bat manufacturing factories in several areas of South Kashmir told Excelsior that they suffered immensely in the last few years and now are hopeful of some relief from the Government so that they can witness a revival.
“Willow is already expensive and due to the financial constraints we are not usually able to procure is for the production, and on top of it, there is more than 12 per cent of GST that we have to pay; its payment, in turn, tells upon us, making it difficult for us to carry on with the business,” said Firdous Ahmad Dar who is running New Good Luck Sports at Halmulla, Sangam.
He said that there are scores of people whose livelihood is dependent on manufacturing cricketing bats and if the Government heeds to their issues and grants a GST relaxation to them, it would lead to the upliftment of the industry as well as those who are associated with the industry.
The bat manufacturers said that the industry is not well grounded and needs a continuous sport from the administration till it reaches somewhere.
“As of now, even paying the 12 per cent GST is a burden for us as a budding industry it faced a setback in the year 2019 and then 2020, though we are hopeful things will turn out better for us this year,” said Fayaz Ahmad, another bat manufacturer.
Those in the business of bat manufacturing also said the Kashmiri willow has got all the qualities to compete with the English willow and that there is a need for the Government to promote the brand so that the bats made from Kashmiri Willow are used nationally and internationally.
“If the renowned cricketers nationally and internationally are using the bats made from English willow, the Government should promote the bats made from Kashmiri willow so that the cricketers start using our bats, that would not only promote our bats but will also boost the industry,” they said.
They also demanded that the seasoning plant that was established by the Government for the effective manufacturing of the bats should be made functional without any delay.
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