Telangana Government will give support to direct marketing companies: Jayesh Ranjan

Hyderabad: The government is ready to extend all help and support to direct marketing companies to set up manufacturing in the State, said Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce and IT, here on Friday, while addressing the Telangana direct selling sammelanam 2021.

Ranjan said, "Registration of direct selling companies is to start soon by the Centre and will be looked after by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Registration and regulatory framework will be good for all stakeholders including customers. Telangana has good industrial policy and will always encourage companies with good quality products in direct selling."

The direct selling industry in the State is all set to leverage its potential with a conducive business climate. The State contributed 13.15 to the share of business in the south with a turnover of Rs 292.50 crore, corresponding to 1.74 per cent to national sales in 2019-20, according to the annual survey report released by the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA). To provide impetus to further growth, IDSA urged the State government to facilitate a registration mechanism for direct selling entities, he added.

V Prakash Rao, Adviser to CM and chairman, Telangana Water Resources Development Corporation said, "The government cannot provide jobs for all. We are seeing a lot of dejected youth committing suicide due to unemployment. Youth can look to direct selling for employment and income generation. Earlier, direct selling was being a second income, but things are changing, and people are seeing it as a primary source of income. Mostly women were taking part in it, but now the trend is changing, and we are seeing men taking the lead. He expressed happiness on seeing 84 per cent of direct sellers were graduates."

Rajat Banerji, vice-chairman, IDSA said, "The industry indicators suggest that Telangana has all wherewithal to take the direct selling industry to the next level in terms of growth, technology integration, employment or income generation, empowering women and MSMEs, policy reforms."

Vivek Katoch, treasurer, said, "A robust regulatory ecosystem and use of technologies are expected to attract more direct selling entities to increase their investment in the State."

Chetan Bhardwaj, GM, in a presentation said, "Telangana has about 90,000 direct sellers, including 44,000 women. The top three direct selling segments are wellness and nutraceuticals, cosmetics - personal care and home care. The industry is providing sustainable self-employment and start-up opportunities to millions of people in the country, including the State. It contributed significantly by way of taxes to the State exchequer."