Retailers group RAI urges Maharashtra govt to ease COVID norms; 'can't incur more losses'

As shopping malls and multiplexes have been reeling under severe economic crunches due to the covid-19 lockdown, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) has urged the Maharashtra government to allow the reopening of big business establishments that have been shut since the second covid wave hit the state. RAI said that any further delay would spell doom for businesses and employees associated with malls. The association said that malls and retail businesses in the state are not in the condition to incur further losses. It said that the business establishments are paying electricity charges, property tax, other taxes and license fees even during the closure period while revenues have remained zero.

"The (Maharashtra) state government's attempts to return the state to normalcy in stages is appreciable. However, we hope they restart malls and multiplexes immediately as any further delay in doing so will spell doom for businesses and employees associated with malls," said RAI CEO Kumar Rajagopalan. "During the prolonged closure, malls and retail businesses have continued to pay electricity charges, property tax, and various other taxes and license fees, despite zero revenues. Now their capacity to bear any further losses is over."

Malls contributing over Rs 4,000 Cr GST per month: Rajagopalan

Further, he said that the malls in the state have been providing employment to over 2 lakh people by generating a business of Rs. 40,000 crore. According to him, there are more than 50 malls in the state which contribute over Rs 4,000 crore GST per month to the government. Rajagopalan said that a shopping mall has on average 200 retail stores operating in it and over 5,000 business entities associated with it as suppliers and vendors.

As cases soar again, CM warns for lockdown

Rajagopalan hopes that better sense prevails at the chief minister's meeting with the task force and malls are allowed to operate. "This will not only help save employment but will also pave the way for citizens to shop in a safe and sanitised environment," he added. Earlier on August 6, Friday, all major hotels and restaurant associations met CM Uddhav Thackeray, expressing their difficulties. After the meeting, CM assured the food and lodging business establishments to work on the safety protocols as early as possible. As the cases of delta variant of covid-19 have been increasing day by day, Thackeray, on August 8, Sunday, warned that a lockdown shall be imposed if the state witnesses a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases. Addressing the people of the state on social media, CM said that Maharashtra has made preparations ahead of the third wave of COVID-19.

(With inputs from PTI)

Image: PTI