Neighbourhood shops will have to come together and devise their own model to take on organised retail and e-commerce sector, said the newly elected president of Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Durgesh Buch. He also acknowledged that business chambers need to adapt corporate culture maintaining the ethos of Mahajan. Excerpts of the interview... What are the major challenges for trade and industry of Gujarat? Businesses and the government are on the same page when it comes to issues of growth and development. Both want to grow, create new jobs and earnings and are capable of achieving this too. However, what appears at the top of the hierarchy is not trickling down the bureaucratic ladder. The recent development that GST officials can arrest businessmen without FIR is something serious. Due process of law should be followed and businesses need to be given reasonable opportunity to defend themselves. In case of ban on plastics, we need to find a balance. Industry has its own list of valid points and the government has its own. We need to balance things out. We also want the government to have active consultation with the stakeholders before making big announcements. While wrong doers should be punished, it should not create panic among those who comply to regulations. How do you plan to protect Gujarat traders facing competition from e-commerce and organised retail? Gujaratis' are known for their entrepreneurial traits. But now, they need to adapt themselves to changing times. They should stand up as a united front. Instead of competing among themselves, they need to come together and compete with organised retail and e-commerce sector. There are models abroad. We have our own cooperative models of Amul and Lijjat Papad. If they do not compete, they will perish. GCCI will definitely give its ideas, but it is up to them whether to adapt or not. What role you foresee for GCCI? GCCI is based on Mahajan tradition. But now it needs to adapt parts of corporate culture as well. We need to think and act like corporate, but preserve the ethos of mahajan culture as our core value. We need to look at across the pyramid as well as bottom of pyramid. Even the MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) should be divided further into SME on one side and micro and nano enterprises on the other side. It is nano enterprises that will be creating most jobs. Their interests need to be protected. GCCI will also strengthen its secretariat through sectoral research to enable its members take more informed business decisions. We will also reach out to smaller business bodies in remote areas. ABOUT Buch is a chartered accountant turned realtor. He was elected unopposed as a senior vice president of GCCI in 2018 and was previously a treasurer of GCCI

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