Ballari, infamously known for the mining activities is also popularly recognised for its Jeans industry with more than 500 industrial manufacturing units functioning in Ballari. More than 10,000 families with around 1 Lakh employees depend on this industry for earning a livelihood.
Since the induction of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Jeans industry in Ballari has been seeing a downfall continuously and shows little sign of recovery if the government provides no support. Over 40 manufacturing units in Ballari have reached a point of closing down.
The exports were temporarily stopped because of the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to a distressed livelihood of the employees depending on the Jeans industry. The employees from the Jeans industry in Ballari urged the Chief Minister to grant loans based on their yearly turnover.
“It would be really helpful if the government realises our distress and helps us by providing loans at a reduced rate of interest”, said an employee. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has praised the Ballari Jeans industry multiple times and had also promised to give excellent compensation for the employees in the industry. But it has all remained a matter of unfulfilled promises.
“We have paid the entire expenditure amounts as Rents, Salaries to the employees, from our own savings completely. We need loans based on the yearly turnover, or the Jeans Industry will soon vanish from Ballari”, said a Jeans Businessman, Mallikarjuna from Ballari”.
Responding to this, CM said that various compensation packages have been announced by the Central as well as State government or the employees that underwent losses due to Covid-19. “Now the garments’ industry has been facing an encouragement and plans are also ahead to introduce textile parks in the state. The senior officials will be asked to look into the improvement of the Jeans industry in Ballari. The Karnataka State Finance Corporation will be asked to submit the detailed report in a week, so the relevant measures can be taken”, said Mr Bommai.
