Andhra Pradesh - Nizamabad   

Beedi units fall on bad days

P. Ram Mohan

Sharp decline in production threatens jobs

NIZAMABAD: Beedi production in the district has been on the decline over the past couple of years, threatening employment in the major companies and giving a push to the `vardi' system in the beedi manufacturing sector.

Production currently is reportedly between 12 and 15 crore beedis per year, against 20 crore beedis a few years ago, registering nearly a 20 per cent fall in production. It is, however, alleged that the difficulties of the industry are being exaggerated. It is a "conspiracy'' of major players to reduce the number of muster-roll employees in their attempt to avoid contribution to PF and other legal benefits to workers, maintains the Andhra Pradesh Beedi Workers Union president, V. Krishna.

Significant decline

Official sources said the fall in production is between 10 and 15 per cent. Moreover, it is a common phenomenon all over the country after the end of the `inspector raj' and advent of liberalisation and privatisation, officials dealing with the industry observed.

In the State, the industry is concentrated in Telangana and a few districts in other regions. Of the total beedi production, some 35 to 40 per cent of the output comes from Nizamabad. For the entire State, production has fallen sharply to 35 crore beedis from 50 crore earlier.

Desai Brothers, Shabley, Waghrey and Telephone Beedi, all major companies once, used to offer work to beedi makers for not less than 26 days a month.

Sad plight

"A local company, R.N. Chandak, would provide work for a month. However, they too have reduced it to 20 days. The K.K. Patel Company, which reduced the work drastically, has agreed to offer up to 17 days of work after negotiations,'' said Mr. Krishna.

The industry is in the doldrums due to Government policies. Taking this as an advantage some are playing "mischief'' to adopt the `vardi' system, Mr Krishna said.

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Beedi units fall on bad days

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