Hosiery manufacturers across the country have decided to stop work on Friday, as part of the nationwide agitation against the move to impose 10 per cent excise duty on readymade garments in the Union Budget.
“We want the government to withdraw the excise duty on readymade garments. It is a tough time for us, because of 150 per cent inflation in raw cotton fibre, 100 per cent in cotton yarn and 50 per cent in readymade garments.
Hence, we are going for a nationwide strike on Friday and if the demands are not met, will go for an indefinite shut down,” said Sreemoy Banerjee, Secretary of Federation of Hosiery Manufacturers’ Association (Fohma).
Fohma, along with fourteen other associations have jointly called the strike.
The groups include Fohma, Bengal Hosiery Manufacturers Association, Bengal Readymade Garment Manufacturers & Traders Welfare Association, Chamber of Textile Trade & Industry, Eastern India Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Federation, West Bengal Garment Manufacturers & Dealers Association and West Bengal Hosiery Association, along with seven other national groups of garment makers.
“This is affecting more than 80 million people across the country and in West Bengal only, about 5 million people are dependent on the sector. The excise duty on garment industry was scrapped way back in 2004, but now we are again in trouble with the government move. Unless the government intervene, the industry will face a huge loss,” Banerjee added.