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***SHOPKEEPERS WELFARE ASSOCIATION is working towards the betterment of Shopkeepers***
***SHOPKEEPERS WELFARE ASSOCIATION is working towards the betterment of Shopkeepers***
 

It was the year 1999 when Shopkeepers Welfare Association was born. It was Shri Yogesh Katira, who took the initiative. He took the idea to several shopkeepers and convinced them as to how it was important as well as necessary to fight certain issues jointly. Many issues or complaints if rooted through the platform of Association can bring success. In the suburb like MULUND there are approximately 3000 shopkeepers. Association if formed will surely meet with over whelming response. Ten such shopkeepers came forward and agreed with idea.

First Committee of Association was thus formed. Shri Yogesh Katira became a President, Shri Shekhar Rao-Secretary, Shri Mahendra Hingoo-Treasurer, Shri Suresh Bhanushali – Jt. Secretary, Shri Bipin Bhinde-Jt. Treasurer, Shri Bipin Monani - Vice President and Shri Bhoja Patel-Member. The Association got itself registered with Charity Commissioner Office at Worli. Slowly shopkeepers one by one started joining the Association.

The big success came when Association succeeded in solving the problems of Communication Centres of Mulund. Those days Mulund had around 150 Communication Centres into the business providing STD/FAX/PCO services and similar number of Communication Centres in Bhandup. Corruption was rampant in MTNL as it was the sole provider of Communication services. To get new PCO/STD connections means to grease the palms of officials. Raids from MTNL were frequent which normally ended up with bribing the officers. Even to get the cable faults repaired ended with bribing.

On the top of it a single cheque bouncing resulted in line disconnection and to reconnect the same was possible only if hefty Bank Guarantees were provided. Paying up of bills after due date also carried huge fines.

In short it was impossible to run Communication business unless MTNL officers were kept happy by giving them good gifts in Diwali and or huge tips if any services were required.

Shri Yogesh Katira, who became a scape goat once with such policy adopted by MTNL officers made it a point of not bribing them but to call press conference. The first such press conference was called at Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh situated at CST. Many press persons as well as Communication Centre operators attended the conference. Leaflets were distributed to all the media persons mentioning the atrocities being suffered by Communication Centres at the hands of MTNL.

Fortunately this got a wide media coverage. Even TV Channels carried the story. With the result MTNL officers thought of going smooth with Communication Centres and they started getting smoother. Complaints were promptly attended. New connections were given faster which was huge relief for the Communication Centres of Mulund as well as Bhandup who joined the Association later.

It is then that Shopkeepers started coming forward by joining the hands with Association. Problems of different kinds kept coming and it was due to the able leadership of Shri Yogesh Katira and a proper paper work that helped solving number of problems of Shopkeepers.

Shri Yogesh Katira made it a point to educate shopkeepers on different subjects relating to business and Government policies. With this thing in mind he started convening meeting inviting dignitaries from different fields.

Sometimes Corporators were invited to make them know the problems that shopkeepers had related to the BMC and sometimes eminent advocates. Once in a year the meeting is held of Police and Shopkeepers. Workshop was also held once to make know the Shopkeepers of Mulund as to how to successfully use ‘Right to Information’.

And the saga of success continued.

Few note worthy successes of Shopkeepers Welfare Association :

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Removed Pay & Park from M. G. Road and N. S. Road near Railways Station.

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Stopped shifting of small stalls running parallel to railway line, situated in Mulund West on SVP Road. This stalls were to be shifted exactly opposite to where they are situated at present, covering all the leading big shops dealing mostly in Jewellery business. This surely must have had bad impact on their business. Strong protests, frequent meeting with Ward Officers ‘T’ Ward, forced BMC to change the plans and thus stop the shifting. This had a wide media coverage.

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Successfully celebrated five years of Shopkeepers Get – Together under the banner of Samarpan which receives overwhelming response from Shopkeepers

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In December 2005 successfully stopped imposing of TRC tax by BMC on those having Trade License. Coming out with successful Morcha with participation of approx. 700 shopkeepers, several meetings with Mayor, Deputy Mayor as well as letters to Mantralaya, Offices in License Departments etc., made it possible for SWA in making BMC withdraw its plans of imposing TRC. Shopkeepers all around Bombay benefited with this. SWA was sole Association allover Bombay to protest so vigorously.

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Undertakes renewal of different BMC Licenses at the year end. Helps shopkeepers in issuing of new Licenses.

Today for any single problem by a shopkeeper and it is the Association always, standing behind him to air his grievances to any Government organization. And hence shopkeepers today can concentrate on their business peacefully without any worries.