DIWALI AND LOCAL SELLERS
The unprecedented coronavirus situation has left no one unperturbed. Businesses are crashing, job cuts are on a high and people are facing social, financial, and mental distress. Among businesses, small, local, and new ones are the worst hit. The coronavirus situation has been diabolical and debilitating for the small sellers that didn't have a good reach and were struggling even before the pandemic. The term "small business" means a business with very low investment providing goods and services to a targeted market. They are labor-intensive and run on a low capital. These local businesses are experiencing a shortage of demand for their goods and services. Other challenges that are posed by the coronavirus situation include a lack of working capital and manpower. The "lockdown" led to the stoppage of all manufacturing and trading operations jeopardizing the health of local businesses.
IMAGE SOURCE: HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, realizing the seriousness of the issue addressed the nation on May 12, 2020. He highlighted the plight of these local sellers and thereby announced a campaign known as the Atma-Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (self-reliant India campaign). This was started to boost the ailing and turbulent economy and inject energy in the slow-growing businesses. Modi allocated a sum of Rs 20 crore i.e. 10% of the GDP to make this campaign a success. When we go deeper and analyze the objectives of this newly started initiative, "making India's production houses self-sufficient to meet the demands of the ever-growing population" comes out as the most important one. In his address, Modi urged his Indian brothers and sisters to promote local brands and products and avoid the usage of imported ones. "Vocal For The Local" is the backbone of this initiative. This step is bound to give positive returns in the future and help the local business houses fight the coronavirus boldly.
IMAGE SOURCE: DECCAN HERALD
We all should come together in this war against the pandemic and remember the values of Aatm Nirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan to help the grappled businesses. “Spend In India'' should be taken much more seriously if we want to revive and strengthen our economy.
The festival of Diwali awaits us. This festival is all about illuminating our lives with the light of positivity and removing ignorance from our minds.
Photo by Vinayak Dixit on Unsplash
Let us be the light in the dark of these poor business owners. Let's say no to imported firecrackers, diyas, candles, and home décor and buy the products produced in our home nation. Let's come together and help the small Indian entrepreneurs struggling to keep their body and soul together. If you are someone using social media, help your nearby local businesses come online, and generate leads. After all, we rise by lifting others. A single purchase can boost the morale and self-confidence of a small seller. Let Diwali 2020 be the guiding light in these tough and hard times.
Together we can and Together we will make a difference!
