SATISH HANDA
New budget declared by the government has disappointed both scientific instruments, microscopes and scientific glass wares as well as Mixi industry at twin city Ambala. The entrepreneurs of these industries expressing deep concern said that Ambala Cantt known as ‘Science City’ and Ambala City known as ‘Mixi Town’ were known across the world for manufacturing scientific instruments and Mixi-Juicers respectively bur lost the name and fame due to lack of support by the government. The entrepreneurs of Ambala said they have been requesting senior political leaders whenever visited Ambala for survival of these sinking industrial units in the town but to no result except false assurances and they were having a ray of hope for these industries in new budget which also brought no relief since government has not declared any special package for the survival of these dooming industrial units.
There are nearly 1200 manufacturing units to produce scientific instruments, microscopes and scientific glass wares in Ambala Cantt known as ‘Science City’ providing employment to nearly 20000 persons and dong exports worth crores of rupees every year across the world. The industry witnessing drastic fall in sale since past few years recoding 50% drop in production and sale in past two years due to epidemic outbreak COVID-19 and nearly 25% manufacturing units have been closed and about 50% manufacturing units have become sick. The entrepreneurs in this industry demanded special packages to keep their industry alive.
Similarly, there were nearly 500 nits manufacturing mixi, juicers and their components at Ambala City known as ‘Mixi Town’ about two decades ago supplying goods all over in the world when every 20th youth in the town was employed in these industries. Very few people know that the first mixi in the country was manufactured at Ambala. Mixi industry in the town gradually started sinking due to higher amount of sales tax in the state as well as lack of government support as entrepreneurs in this field said that all appeals to state government to reduce amount of sales tax at part with other states failed. Lot of competition between manufacturers, price war due to tough competition when manufacturers were compelled to sell a unit at a margin of only Rs 20-30 resulted decline in quality, demand slump, negligible profits forced manufacturers either to close down their shutters or change to alternate business and large manufacturing units shifted to adjoining Himachal Pradesh or Uttaranchal states as special packages offered by the governments of these states. The mixi town Ambala has now been left with hardly 50 manufacturing units that too struggling for life.
When talked to Ajay Gulati President Sadar Bazar Traders Association Ambala Cantt, he said as a result of increase in import duty the prices of large number of essential commodity products will further increase adversely affecting sale. He said, COVID-19 has affected sale of every product dropped more than 50% but no new announcement to inject energy in the arms of traders has been made in present budget.
