Bicycle industry finds it difficult to pedal out of lockdown

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, June 3

On the occasion of World Bicycle Day, the bicycle industry today asked the Government of India to announce a special package to save the bicycle industry in the country. Here at the New Cycle Market, Achhru Ram Gupta, Senior Vice President, Wholesale Bicycle Dealers association, Manjinder Singh Sachdeva, General Secratory Ucpma & Publicity Secretary Rajinder Singh Sarhali and others expressed concern over the closure of the First Bicycle Industry of India (Atlas Bicycle) due to financial constraints.

• Also read: Social organisations urged to highlight benefits of cycling

UCPMA requested for a special package to revive the bicycle industry. The leaders said if the government did not pay attention to the bicycle industry, the country’s bicycle industry would be completely destroyed due to the pandemic. They said at present the bicycle industry was being over burdened by the interest of banks . He bsaid the bicycle industry needed to be saved from crises.

Achhru Ram Gupta and the leaders of the bicycle industry said due to wrong policies of GST, crores of rupees of the bicycle industry were still blocked with the government and to get GST refund is very tough. The leaders demanded from the GST Council that the tax rate on sale of bicycles and purchase of raw material should be made equal. They also said the slogan of Make in India would be successful only if the help was given to revive the 75-year-old bicycle industry.

To encourage cycling in the cities, the Punjab Government should build separate cycling lanes so that safety of the cyclists is ensured, said UCPMA leaders.

Meanwhile, a bicycle rally was held, in association with The Cyclist Club, at FICO Secretariat Jaimal Road, today. Gurmeet Singh Kular, President, FICO, said the purpose of observing World Bicycle Day was to recognise the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of bicycle, which had been in use for two centuries now.