Vocal for Local at Work in Assam

Nalbari and Barpeta products putting up tough competition against products from Sivakasi and West Bengal

Electric gadgets from Gujarat, Delhi, Noida, and Ghaziabad pitted against products from China

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Vocal for Local is at work in Assam as well! Quite in sync with the Vocal for Local campaign launched by the Central government to encourage people to buy and promote locally-made products and services, the firecracker manufacturers of Nalbari and Barpeta district have been putting up a tough fight with such products from Sivakasi in Tamilnadu and manufacturers from West Bengal.

On electric illumination, electric gadgets from Gujarat, Delhi, Noida, Gaziabad, etc. have put up fierce competition with products from China.

Apart from the rest of the state, the Diwali and Kalipuja markets in Guwahati are glutted with firecrackers, electric gadgets, and a whole lot of earthen lamps.

A development to cherish in this Diwali is that local products (made in India and made in Assam) comprise around 80 percent of the market in Guwahati. Firecrackers from Banjani in Nalbari and Barpeta have been competing equally with such products from Savakasi and West Bengal.

The firecracker manufacturers of Assam have adopted a different approach this year to woo the buyers. They have selected a few names like 'Bishal Fotka' and 'Sumi Light'. They have also branded their products with weapons used in the current wars in the world. Some of such brands are 'Israel missile', 'Russian missile', etc.

The price of kolgos fotka (a kind of crackers) ranges from Rs 200 to Rs 2,000 a piece, chakuri from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 a piece, fuljari from Rs 400 to Rs 1,000 a packet, pencil fotka from Rs 50-700 per packet, etc. Though there are products from outside the state, the local firecrackers have been putting up a tough contest.

On the electric lighting front, products from Gujarat, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, etc., have been pitted against Chinese products that have an edge on the price line.

The markets of earthen lamps are glutted with local products from different areas of the state. The small earthen lamps are sold at Rs 40-70 per dozen, and the big ones from Rs 50-100 per dozens. The market also has coloured earthen lamps from Kolkata.

Also Read: Guwahati: City Vendors Selling Eco-Friendly Firecrackers for Diwali

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