The Hindu : New Delhi News : Delay in I-cards irks exhibitors at Trade Fair

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Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009
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Delay in I-cards irks exhibitors at Trade Fair

Madhur Tankha

‘Digital cards to be made available on November 22’

NEW DELHI: Many international and domestic exhibitors at the ongoing India International Trade Fair at Pragati Maidan here are an aggrieved lot as even four days after the opening of the fair they still have not been issued valid identity cards by the India Trade Promotion Organisation.

“Even though the ITPO is fully cooperating with us, it is yet to issue us identity cards. We were given temporary passes for the first three days. Now I’ve been told that we will get the digital cards only on November 22. Pakistani participants face difficulty in getting their goods to the venue without proper documents,” said Muhammad Amin Khatri of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday.

Mr. Khatri said the ITPO this year has also not issued proper cards to labourers who were required for moving heavy items. “The IITF has appointed a contractor and we can hire labourers only through him. Unlike last year, we are facing difficulties this time in getting clearance for our containers because of security reasons. However, the space allotted to us is far bigger than last year and maintenance of the venue is very good,” he added.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an exhibitor from Nagaland claimed that she too was facing problems due to lack of identity card. “On the first day of the fair I was given only a sheet of paper with names of my team members. The next day we were given paper cards without photographs that were valid for three days. Today we have been told by ITPO officials that the date for issuing digital I-cards has been extended by another five days. In 2004 I received my laminated I-card on the first day itself.”

Exhibitor Hikmat Ali from the National Small Scale Industries Corporation said identity cards should have been allotted to all exhibitors before the opening of the fair as the decision to prepare digital cards was taken by the organisers earlier.

Roopesh Kumar at the Khadi Pavilion said he was disappointed at not getting his I-card: “This time only two members from my team of four have been given temporary cards.”

Explaining the delay in issuing I-cards, ITPO executive director Rajiv Yadav said: “The job of preparing advanced digital I-cards had been assigned to the National Small Scale Industries Corporation and it is taking some time. We decided to issue digital I-cards to upgrade security and cut down entry of undesirable elements.”

The digital I-card has a bar code that stores all data about the exhibitor including the name, address and photograph.

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