JALANDHAR: As the FIFA World Cup gets under way in South Africa in less than a week from now, if has provided ample cheer to the football manufacturers as well as workers in distant Jalandhar.
Manufacturers are happy as they have received bulk purchase orders from both domes tic and international market owing to the on-going promotional campaign for the World Cup. And workers also have a reason to smile as their wages have been increased substantially following these orders.
“We have engaged extra workers and also increased their wages by 30 to 40 per cent to meet the deadline of dispatching the orders obtained from multinationals for the promotional campaign,”. Rajesh Kharbanda, Managing Director of Nivia, a leading football manufacturing unit, tells the Hindustan Times.
Earlier, a worker got Rs 30 for stitching a piece, which has now been increased to Rs 50; the workers have also been imparted special training in machine-stitching to increase the production capacity, Kharbanda says.
Jagdish Lal, a contractor for stitching footballs, said the workers had developed a special affection for the World Cup as now they could earn more owing to the prestigious tournament.
“Earlier, we literally had to beg the companies for orders, but now we are not only getting bulk orders but the workers are also getting good money,” Ashok Kumar, another contractor says.
Kharbanda says though his company is not into exports, there is a big demand even in the domestic market and they have been running the unit round the clock to meet the orders.
He says it will be for the first time that machine-made foot balls will be exported from Jalandhar, and some of the industrialists have already installed machines for stitching.
“During the last world cup, we faced problems as international buyers were interested in importing only machine-made balls,” he says, adding that following that some of the exporters switched over to machine-made footballs.”
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization imparted training in this regard. To begin with, ‘eight manufacturers received training and installed machines in their factories, he says.
“Eyen after the World Cup, the industry is hopeful of continuing with the brisk business as the Cup will be followed by the Commonwealth Games in India and the Asian Games in the neighbouring China,” he adds.
Munish Mahajan of Hans Raj Mahajan and Company also admits that the industry has received export orders in bulk and the shortage of labour is creating hindrance in meeting the deadlines.
However, Tarun Diwan, secretary, Sports Goods Export Promotion Council, begs to differ. He says that according to official figures, there is not much impact on the overall export of sports goods, and as compared to the exports worth Rs 586 crore last year, the export figure for 2009-2010 is only Rs 525 crore.”
But he is quick to add that as the phenomenon is recent, these figures will be compiled in the exports in the current year.
SOURCE-HT
