The TPCC has demanded that the Central government take steps to exempt the textile industry from the purview of the Goods and Services Tax regime.
TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the textile industry was considered a business that was helping the common man.
More than 20 lakh small and medium textile traders were connected with the trade in Telangana while an equal number of people were indirectly dependent on the industry.
The TPCC chief was interacting with the media after a delegation of representatives of the textile trade, including Hyderabad Cut Piece Cloth Merchants’ Association, Hyderabad Cloth Merchants’ Association and others, called on him at Gandhi Bhavan and explained the hardships they would face after the new GST comes into effect.
He said textiles was the second largest business and employment generator in the State with weavers, machine automated process house, hand processes, distributors, agents, wholesale dealers and others connected with it. A majority of the people connected with the trade were illiterate and work for meagre profit.
The sector was already facing crisis due to competition, fund shortage and high cost of inputs. Bringing textiles under the GST regime would adversely impact the livelihood of scores of people dependent on it. He announced the Congress’ support to the ongoing agitation by the textile industry and said he would request AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi to raise the issue in the Parliament.
Meira Kumar’s visit
Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the UPA’s presidential candidate Meira Kumar would visit Hyderabad on July 3 to interact with the leaders of the Congress and other parties. The party has decided to seek the support of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen for her candidature.
