Siliguri associations to reunify by March

The merger of the two associations in Siliguri is now certain; that too before the end of March.

Although the hush remains in north Bengal with the details of the merger still unclear, Confederation of Indian IT Associations (CIITA) has decided to facilitate the merger after both the associations unanimously decided to become a single entity following the last general body meetings of North Bengal IT Traders Association (NITO) and IT Dealers Association of Siliguri (ITDAS).

"A joint meeting between ITDAS and NITO will be held soon to finalise the date of the merger and discuss the details of the future course of action but it is certain that the merger will take place before March-end", said B. Hari, president, CIITA.

"Having two associations in a small market like Siliguri posed some problems with the IT dealers and often the dealers are members of both the associations", Hari added.

It is deemed that for the betterment of the local market and restore local distributors in the area, the decision for the merger has been finalised.

Formerly, there were alleged issues of ego problems among some big-scale distributors in north Bengal over which a united association had split in Siliguri. Now, with the majority of the members of both the associations opting for a reunification, the local ego problem has been addressed.

When asked over the alleged ego-issues, Hari opined, "The market is getting mature in Siliguri".

However, both the associations have opted to remain silent and maintain a clandestine mode of operations until the merger date and process is finalised. Elements in both the associations have raised questions about christening the association stating that the new entity needs to be named ITDAS as this was the parent association.

"The name is yet to be finalised and we can say something concrete only after the upcoming joint meeting of ITDAS and NITO", a NITO official said wishing to remain anonymous.

Official sources in NITO and ITDAS confirmed that both the associations are under severe stress from its members over the process of the merger and thus have opted to remain silent in the public forum.

Sources in ITDAS said that the local market is plagued with credit issues as well as the falling rate of distribution houses. Most of the distribution business is allegedly controlled by Kolkata based firms and the local partners are left dry as a result of the entry of the Kolkata based firms in the local market. ITDAS has cited this to be the motivating factor for the need to reunify the two associations.

"Local trade is limited in north Bengal and the reunification of the associations will ease up things", Hari concluded.