Apparel-August 2020 | Page 23

Report UNLESS IMMEDIATE STEPS ARE TAKEN TO PERMIT UNFETTERD AND UNIFORM OPENING OF ALL SHOPS, MARKET COMPLEXES, MALLS AND FACTORIES, AND BANKS STEP IN TO ASSIST THE INDUSTRY, THE APPAREL SECTOR IN INDIA WILL DEFINITELY HEAD TOWARDS UNMITIGATED DISASTER Are Banks Really Helping? CMAI’s Survey revealed the surprising fact that as of May 15, 2020, only 26 per cent of those who had applied for additional Working Capital Loan (Covid Line) as directed by RBI had actually received assistance from their Bankers. The balance 74 per cent still had their applications in the ‘processing’ stage. Industry Heading for Disaster The above findings clearly indicate that the Garment Industry is going through an unprecedented crisis and unless immediate steps are undertaken to permit unfettered and uniform opening of All shops, Market Complexes and Malls (maintaining Social Distancing and Health Check norms) as well as Factories, and the Banks step in to assist the Industry, the garment Industry in India is heading towards an unmitigated Disaster. Millions of Jobs are at stake. Timely intervention by the Government and Reserve Bank of India can save these jobs and help the industry survive. APPAREL I August 2020 I 21