BANKING TRADE AND COMMERCE

TRADE ASSOCIATIONS.

A trade association is a body of persons representing the interests of traders in general or in a particular line. Such an association may restrict its scope of activities to a small area like a village or extend itself to cover the entire district. Among various objectives it seeks to achieve, of paramount importance are the protection of common interests of the member-traders, protection against undue Government interference and coercion, adoption of a general policy and trade practices for the welfare of the trading community, safeguarding minority groups in the trade against any kind of suppression, and serving the multifarious requirements of traders in general. The trade association operates through consultation, representation and joint-action vis-a-vis the State or the public and strives to attain its aims within the frame-work of Government regulations and legal restrictions.

In Chandrapur district there are only a few associations of traders. The Grain Merchants' Association is one of them. It is an important organisation established at Chandrapur some twelve years ago. By 1965 it had 70 wholesalers and retail traders as its members. Every member had to pay annually Rs. 25 as membership fee. The association works for its members and helps them to solve their common problems such as redressing transport and other difficulties. It also makes representations against any Government policy or action that would affect their interests.

Another association of note is the Chandrapur District Forest Contractors' Association. It has two branches-(i) the Chandrapur charcoal Association at Chandrapur and (ii) the Ballarshah Timber Association at Ballarshah. In 1965, it had a membership of hundred. Members were admitted on a payment of Rs. 10. This fee was collected from those members who were doing active business in timber or charcoal.

There was also an Association of Bidi Merchants in the district with its office at Chandrapur. In 1965, the association was defunct and could not work. Like-wise there was also an association of the hoteliers.

Employees in various trades too have their own organisations to safeguard their interests. The bidi workers' union and fishermen's union, for example have long been established and were active in the district.

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