CAIT asks Central Government to extend nationwide lockdown

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Apr 9, 2020

The Confederation of All India Traders has asked the Central Government to extend the ongoing nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus, believing it to be for the good of the country.

 
CAIT’s secretary general Praveen Khandelwal suggested that the Central Government extend the ongoing 21-day lockdown until April 30, 2020, the Times of India reported. Khandelwal also suggested a “staggered exit” to prevent any gains made against the spread of the virus from being lost.
 
“Although the traders will be facing several trading, economic, and financial challenges, yet in the interest of the country, the traders are well prepared to extend best services to the nation,” CAIT said in a statement, the Times of India reported. “Whatever decision the government will take, the trading community across the country will follow the same letter and script.”

Khandelwal said that it is vital that traders are kept safe from Covid-19 as, due to their work, they could spread the virus across the nation if infected. “Nearly seven crore small businesses employ around forty crore people and therefore if by any chance the disease starts spreading among the traders of the country then it will have a devastating effect on the entire nation,” said Khandelwal.
 
Micro, small, and medium enterprises have been the hardest hit buy the lockdown and many are expected to be forced to close down according to recent studies by consulting firms KPMG and Ind-Ra. CAIT has asked the government for financial support for MSMEs including health insurance.