Strike enters 12th day; workers in trouble
BHOPAL : Not only the people are facing problems due to jewellers keeping the shops closed in current marriage season as their strikes entered the 12th day on Saturday, but also the workers associated with jewellers and bullion traders are facing problems of livelihood.
There are nearly 500 shops of jewellers in the state capital and on an average two workers are associated with each and every jeweller’s shops for washing and repairing ornaments so livelihood problems looms large over them. Jewellers from all over the country have been keeping their establishments closed demanding rollback of the proposed excise duty on non-silver jewellery items.
The shutters of jewellery shops and establishments have been down since March 2 after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Budget speech on February 29 proposed 1 per cent excise duty on jewellery.
Meanwhile, the finance ministry has clarified that jewellers only with turnover of more than Rs 12 crore will be liable to pay 1 per cent excise duty on non-silver jewellery items.
In 1981 and 2012 too, the Central government had introduced excise duty in the gems and jewellery sector, only to roll back the plan later. Shyamlal Pathak of Kolar said, “The marriage of my daughter is going to be held soon but we could not purchase any jewellery item as all the jewellers’ shops are closed due to ongoing nationwide strike. It is a pathetic condition.”Similarly, Anil Jain of Chowk Bazar said, “There must be talks with central government to break the logjam. It is quite problematic for people as it is the marriage seasons and all the jewellers’ shops are closed as mark of protest.” Govind Agrawal, president of BHEL Sarafa Association, said, “It is a pathetic condition badly affecting the people in the current marriage season. Secondly, workers who are dependent on jewellers’ shops for their livelihood have been rendered jobless.”
