An 18-member committee has been formed to increase participation of local traders and increase sponsors for the upcoming Ahmedabad Shopping Festival (ASF). This comes after registration of shopkeepers failed to keep pace with the expectation. The new body is expected to rope in sectoral associations and bring them under the fold of ASF. Organisers have also increased the number of coupons to be offered to the customers. For a registration worth Rs 1,999, each shopkeeper will get free coupons worth Rs 1,000, which they can offer to buyers. The committee will be headed by Shailesh Patwari, former president of Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI). Patwari said that since the countdown for the festival has begun, he has intensified efforts to reach out to various industry associations. "We hope to enroll at least 10,000 businesses. We will also give stalls to voluntary organisations like the Blind People Association, khadi organisations, etc," said Patwari. He admitted that there are concerns among businesses that their data can be accessed by the state government but assured that there is no way government can access business data. "The concerns are misplaced. Now we are also inviting traders not registered with Goods and Services Tax (GST) authorities. We want smaller players to grow," he added. The 12-day festival beginning January 17, aims to bring footfalls back to shops, as they have been adversely hit by online shopping and overall slowdown in demand.

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