JAYALALITHA'S AMMA FANS FOR TAMIL NADU MADE IN HYDERABAD

C.R. GOWRI SHANKER

Dec 23, 2015

 1.93 crore table fans costing Rs 930 each to be manufactured; 6 lakh distributed in TN so far.

  

  Amma Fans manufactured in the city. (Photo: DC)   

    Hyderabad: A portion of ‘Amma fans’, which are distributed free   of cost to the poor by the Tamil Nadu government are being made in     Hyderabad.

The table fans with a picture of TN Chief Minister Ms. J. Jayalalithaa is said to be a big hit with the beneficiaries. 

In all, the TN government plans to supply about 1.93 crore fans. According to the Tamil Nadu government, each electric table fan costs Rs 930 plus VAT.

Many of these fans are manufactured by two Hyderabad-based companies — Barmecha Industries Private Limited and Yesh international. Another company, which reportedly bagged part of the order, could not be reached for information. 

Ashok Barmecha, director of Barmecha Industries Private Limited, told DC that the company, established in 2010, had supplied about six lakh fans to the TN government till date and more are on the way. 

“We bid for tenders and bagged the orders. The bidding was very transparent and corruption-free. It is one of the best systems I have seen,” said Mr Barmecha whose company has supplied 15 lakh fans so far. 

He said uninterrupted power supply in the city had helped the firm to deliver the fans in time. “But I wish CM K. Chandrasekhar Rao would cut taxes on the lines of China to encourage industry,” Mr Barmecha said. 

“Our taxes are affecting the industries in their competition with Chinese goods. We pay 12.5 per cent excise duty, two per cent sales tax and income-tax among others. There is no excise duty, IT and CST in Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal. China gives huge incentives,” he said. 

City hub for fan industry 

Hyderabad is the hub for the fan industry in the state. About 300 small scale units manufacture fans and fan components located in Balanagar, Jeedimetla, Kukatpally and Subhasnagar in the industrial belt. The annual turnover is above Rs 500 crore. 

“Our units manufacture all kinds of domestic and industrial fans. About 15,000 people are employed in the fan industry,” said Ashok Barmecha, president of Fan and Fan Components Manufacturers Association.

Bulk of the fans is sold in the domestic market while some are exported to other states. He requested TS to allot 50 to 100 acres to set up an exclusive park to manufacture fans and its components.