Hyderabad: Numaish still awaits clearance from governments

Nampally: The 81st All India Industrial Exhibition popularly known as Numaish – 2021 is still looking forward to the clearance from the State and Central governments. The exhibition, which is the city's most awaited annual extravaganza, remain withheld for the first time. Hyderabadis have to still wait for some more days.

Though it was earlier decided by the Exhibition Society to conduct the Numaish at a later date, after January 31, but the 45-day mega affair is still deferred even as February is coming to an end.

It is being learned that the Numaish 2021 deferment was leading to huge losses for traders, society, Hyderabadis, industrialists and the government.

Speaking to The Hans India, Aditya Margam, spokesperson and a managing committee member of the Exhibition Society said, "There is no update yet, but preparations are on to start for the Numaish 2021 as soon as the society receives 'NoCs' (No Objection Certificate) from the authorities.

It was earlier announced by the State Health Minister Eatala Rajender, who is also the president of the All India Industrial Exhibition Society, that in view of COVID-19 pandemic the exhibition, which records a footfall of more than 20 lakh people every year, is postponed and not cancelled.

Every Hyderabadi has an emotional connection with Numaish as they wait for the New Year so that they could visit Numaish in January along with family and enjoy food, shopping and their children can enjoy various games.

The exhibition has been providing a business platform to various traders from across the country as they set up their stalls, craftsmen and artists install their shops to sell their products. Every year, around 2000 traders from Kanyakumari to Kashmir used to visit Hyderabad only for Numaish, as they get a large number of customers to sell their clothes, food, and various types of special things.

Numaish is a major revenue earner for the society, which organsies it from January 1 to mid-February every year. It also provides direct and indirect livelihood to over 20,000 people from across the nation.

The commencement of Numaish is also a source of revenue for the government by way of Goods and Services Tax (GST). Nearly, 20 lakh tickets, stall rent of the 1500 stalls and sales turnover of the small scale business and shopkeepers is added revenue source for the government. The Numaish gives the Hyderabad Metro Rail an increase in the number of passengers and the metro authority would also increase the time of the metro during the commencement of Numaish every year.

However, according to the estimates informed by society, the annual turnover of Numaish is around Rs 40 crore and the Exhibition society sees a profit of Rs. 10 crores. "Profit which is generated from the commencement of Numaish is every year utilized for the development of educational institutions run by the Exhibition Society," said Aditya Margam.

Margam further told that the exhibition also provides employment to thousands of temporary workers such as carpenters, painters, electricians, and laborers who depend on the exhibition for almost two months.