Nagpur, August 22:
On the second day of the two-day annual general meeting of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) in Nagpur, Mrs. Smriti Irani highlighted the role and contribution of women in enhancing and modernizing the current trade structure and appealed to CAIT to include more and more women entrepreneurs.
Mrs. Irani said, “In our country, 16 million businesses are operated by women, and this number will reach 30 million in the next five years. Currently, women are providing employment to 27 million people through their 16 million businesses. In this context, CAIT needs to assist women in becoming successful entrepreneurs and take meaningful steps towards organizing this women’s strength.”
Mrs. Smriti Irani also presented data to underscore the significant contribution of small businesses to nation-building and said, “The contribution of small businesses to the country’s economy is highly commendable. Their business value is 840 billion, and they contribute 90% to India’s economy. However, in the next five years, this is expected to drop to 70%, which could be a huge blow to our economy. This is why it is crucial to enrich small businesses and women entrepreneurs, as the progress of the country depends on their advancement.”
She further added, “In Western countries, emphasis is placed on empowering women, but in India, we talk about the upliftment of their home, family, and society through women, and there is a significant difference between the two. We know that if a woman earns something through her business, she spends 40% of it on her family, which paves the way for social development. Women strengthen the country’s banks through their savings; their contribution is in every field, and now the time has come for them to receive due credit for it.”
The National President of the Confederation of All India Traders, Mr. B. C. Bhartia, thanked Mrs. Irani on this occasion and said, “It is a matter of great pride for us that Mrs. Irani has accepted our request to join CAIT as an advisor. Her proficient guidance, public service spirit, and vast experience will provide invaluable direction and suggestions to CAIT. Her role will be significant in understanding the complex landscape of trade and commerce in India. We will work precisely on all the suggestions related to women entrepreneurs, and we will move forward in empowering traders and promoting community development. Her rich experience in women empowerment and entrepreneurship will also be beneficial in our expansion.”
On this occasion, CAIT’s National General Secretary and Member of Parliament from Chandni Chowk, Delhi, Mr. Praveen Khandelwal, said, “Under the guidance of Mrs. Smriti Irani, CAIT will develop at twice the speed. Her strong grasp of trade, women’s upliftment, and financial matters will guide us in the right direction. We will discuss and decide on how to connect women entrepreneurs and small traders with CAIT and strengthen the trade sector through them. Acting on Mrs. Irani’s suggestions, we have already started the work of forming CAIT teams at the district and taluka levels from today. Additionally, women’s and youth teams will also be formed at the national and taluka levels.”
More than 250 key trade leaders from various states of the country participated in this two-day meeting and held detailed discussions on CAIT’s future and other trade issues.