The Hindu Business Line : IITF – A gateway to development

The economic slowdown and the recent terror attacks in Mumbai do not seem to have deterred the spirit of Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BNCCI) and the West Bengal State Government who expect a fairly large footfall at the 22nd Industrial India Trade Fair (IITF) being held at the Milan Mela, Kolkata.

The fair, inaugurated by the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, will continue from December 23-January 1.

The theme of this year’s fair is small and medium enterprises (SME) sector. It will be open to all from 1.30 p.m. to 8 p.m. while visiting hours for business visitors are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Participants

Close to 700 exhibitors are expected to join the fair both from private and public sectors in India and abroad. Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey, China, Kenya, Vietnam and Egypt are some of the foreign countries participating in the fair.

A large number of business meets, including workshops, seminars, district meets and vendor development programmes, will be organised by the fair committee. The primary scope offered by this year’s fair will be the launching of new products and services and expanding retail sales focusing on small entrepreneurs.

Objective

The primary objective of BNCCI is to make this trade fair a multi-dimensional trade event serving as a gateway to industrial developments in eastern and north-eastern India, said the Chamber President, Mr Sandip Sen.

The objective of IITF is also to focus and bring to limelight the industrial progress, capabilities as also trade and investment potential of the eastern India in general and West Bengal in particular, specially for attracting small and medium entrepreneurs before the national and international business community and investors, he added.

“In this globalised milieu, competition for international market share has rendered exhibitions and trade fairs an indispensable tool for marketing. Having foreseen this more than two decades back, BNCCI took the initiative of organising this annual fair since then jointly with the Government of West Bengal and in association with India Trade Promotion Organisation, a public sector enterprise,” said Mr Sen.

Talking about infrastructural facilities, Mr Samir Kumar Ghosh, Chairman of the 22nd IITF, said, “The fair ground is not fully ready but we have made arrangements for necessary infrastructural facilities such as bank, first aid, water supply, security, installation of transformer for electricity supported with standby generator etc. To add some frolic to this fair, cultural programmes have also been organised.”

Security measures

The West Bengal Government has taken adequate security measures to ensure the safety of participants and visitors to the Industrial India Trade Fair, Mr Amit Kiran Deb, Chief Secretary, West Bengal, said earlier at a press conference on the 22nd IITF.

“We will have adequate security measures, particularly tactical security at the industrial fair. I hereby assure people visiting the fair need not worry about any security issues,” Mr Deb said.

Mr Deb, however, admitted that there would be lower participation and footfall at this year’s fair due to the economic slowdown and the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai.

“This year’s fair is being held under difficult circumstances. There is a downturn in the economy leading to cash crunch forcing industries to adopt cash cutting measures. In spite of the prevailing circumstances, we have received good domestic participation, which shows the popularity of the fair and the confidence of the participants in its effectiveness.

Overseas participation has been rather subdued due to global economic scenario as well as the perceived security related issues,” he said.

According to Mr Samir Ghosh, about 20 participants from Sichuan province of China, who earlier confirmed their participation in the fair have withdrawn due to the ongoing recession and the recent terrorist attack. The fair, according to Mr Ghosh might also witness lower participation from Pakistan and Bangladesh.

“There are some visa problems in Pakistan so the number of participants might see a drop this year,” he said.

Close to 700 exhibitors are expected to join the fair this year, which is reasonably lower than that witnessed last year. There were close to 800 exhibitors in the fair last year, Mr Ghosh said.

Mr Somnath Chatterjee, Lok Sabha Speaker, and Mr Nirupam Sen, State Industries Minister, will address the closing function of the Fair to be held on December 31.

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