Amritsar traders want incentives to promote traditional items

Tribune News Service

Neeraj Bagga

Amritsar, May 3

While the hospitality industry has been the mainstay of local economy for long, successive governments have hardly put in efforts to promote indigenously manufactured items, including Punjabi jutti, shawls, bangles worn by brides and papad-warriyan, rue their manufacturers and traders. They said most tourists visiting the holy city would love to take the age-old traditional items associated with Punjabi culture as souvenir to their homes.

“There is a complete lack of support from the government in the sale of indigenously manufactured items which tourists would prefer to show at their native places,” said Satish Mahajan, a trader. This thought prompted him to write down ‘Punjabi Jutti’ in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Gujarati and other regional languages outside his shop. Reading about a part of Punjabi attire in their native language in the Punjabi heartland prompted the tourists to at least visit the store, he felt. Similar publicity for the Punjabi jutti can be carried out by the government as well, Mahajan added.

Ashish, another local resident, said 12 per cent tax was levied on this handicraft item since the GST was introduced. “After the introduction of this norm, officials forced us to get receipts from the manufacturers. It is a tough task as people involved in manual manufacturing of Punjabi juttis are neither equipped with relevant knowledge nor are financially sound enough to hire accountants or pay for chartered accountants.”

Those engaged in manually preparing Punjabi juttis said that they were battling rising prices of raw material. Manjit, an artisan, said they use leather and rexine to make juttis. In addition to the rising cost of inputs, they are also facing competition from manufacturers based in the Malwa belt of Punjab.

Piara Lal Seth, a shawl manufacturer, said the candidates contesting the Lok Sabha election have been campaigning for a long time but hardly touched any meaningful issue concerning the city. He said they should make their plan public to popularise indigenously produced items, shawl being one of them. It has been made here for the past several centuries and is evident from the availability of skilled artisans.

Now, manufacturers and traders demand incentives from the government for this sector and a roadmap for the Lok Sabha election.

Ravinder Singh, who owns a unit to prepare papad-warriyan, said the leaders contesting the Lok Sabha elections must make public their vision to popularise these among tourists. He said the trend of their consumption was on decline as the consumers were spoiled for choices as an outcome of globalisation. Associated with folk songs of Punjab, papad-warriyan has been relegated to the background in front of the national and international eating joints serving delectable food.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.