Jagadhari: Jagadhari generally known as Metal Town in Haryana have nearly 1200 utensil manufacturing units which include more than 400 medium level units manufacturing 200 to 250 tons utensils daily supplying brass and aluminium utensils not only in the country but also exporting to other countries, including Canada, Kuwait, Africa, Dubai, Kabul, Tanzania and few other countries. According to the manufacturers, since past few years the production of brass and aluminium utensils manufactured in Jagadhari has witnessed drastic fall up to 50-60% in sale due to demand recession, because utensils manufactured in Jodhpur, Moradabad and Delhi have captured markets all over in the country in the absence of Jagadhari has not been declared an industrial zone by the government and deprived of facilities including rebates and subsidies provided by the government, as being provided in Rajasthan.
MK Sehgal former president of Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Sunder Lal Batra General Secretary of Jagadhari Metal Manufacturing and Suppliers Association while talking to The Financial World said, Jagadhari in-spite of been in the field of manufacturing metallic products, especially utensils since past about 160 years has not been fully established in manufacture of utensils in the town so far. Old history reveals, Guru Gobind Singh Ji stayed for 52 days in Kapalmochan in Yamunanagar district and purchased utensils, as such even today the pilgrims while visiting three days holy ‘Kapalmochan Fair’ held here every year purchase utensils manufactured in Jagadhari of value worth crores of rupees during three days fair.
Batra said maximum number of utensil manufacturers in Jagadhari are facing crisis due to production cutbacks, credit squeeze, piling up of stocks due to tough competition among manufacturers, lack of demand, increased cost of production, electricity supplied at much higher rates and above all lack of government support to this industry. He said, most of the tiny units manufacturing utensils in the town are having shortage of funds and unable to get loans from the banks. Most of the manufacturers said that their production and sale may increase in case GST on utensils and the raw material is reduced by the government, presently charges as 12% and 18% respectively. They said that raw material is available at the rate Rs 500 per kg in case of brass, Rs 800 per kg in case of copper, Rs 150 per kg in case of steel Rs 225 per kg in case of aluminium and Rs 1300 per kg in case of ‘kasya’ on which GST is also charged at the rate of 18% making production cost of the utensils higher.
The entrepreneurs demanded GST should be charged 5-6% on the sale of utensils, ban over ‘Inspector Raaj’ from various departments including Pollution Control Board, Excise & Taxation and Fire Safety frequently visiting these units. They further demanded electricity should be supplied at cheaper rates as being supplied to the industry in Himachal Pradesh, Jagadhari metal industry should be declared backward requiring special incentives and subsidies by the government. They said, availability of labour is another major problem being faced by Jagadhari metal industry since most of the workers have shifted to Delhi, Jodhpur and Moradabad providing them better emoluments as compared to shrinking Jagadhari metal industry, since large number of small utensil manufacturing units have become sick in past few years.
