This year’s Madhav Rao Gwalior Trade Fair, the largest Trade Fair in North India is scheduled to begin on the 1st of January. Part of Gwalior culture, the Fair has been attracting businessmen and visitors from all over the world for the past 107 years.
However, due to the insensitive and indifferent attitude of the previous government the Trade Fair lost much of its sheen during the last decade. The Automobile sector, which had been earlier one of the Fair’s premier attractions and one which had been luring customers and visitors to the Fair stopped participating since 2012. The reason was that the earlier government had stopped giving the 50% rebate on road tax for vehicles purchased from the Trade Fair. Soon, the Electronic sector too followed suit and began to show little interest in the Trade Fair. The number of traders as well as visitors to the Fair almost halved while the Trade Fair Authority, the body responsible for the running of the Fair showed little penchant to revive it.
With a change in the government the business community of Gwalior is hoping that the new government will take steps to restore the past glory of this prestigious Trade Fair.
It is in this context that Jyodiraditya Scindia, Member of Parliament and former Union Minister has sent a letter to the Chief Minster requesting him to grant rebate on sales and road tax to vehicles purchased from the Fair. In his letter he has requested the CM to give 50% concession on taxes. The letter further states that sales in the Trade Fair have been drastically affected due to the indifference of the previous government. Scindia added that when the rebate was in effect business people from even other states used to participate in the Trade Fair. He also said in his letter that the business community and the public of Gwalior are looking towards the new government to put fresh life into the Trade Fair.
While inaugurating the 5 day Kissan Mela and Cattle Fair at the Gwalior Trade Fair premises, Munnalal Goyal, the MLA from Gwalior East said that the Trade Fair is part of the city’s glorious heritage and promised that he will put in all efforts to bring back its lost glory.