According to the annual survey report issued by the Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) here on Monday, the direct selling sector in Punjab has exceeded the $500 million barriers for the first time, with a year-on-year rise of about 6%.
Punjab has a gross turnover of 523 crores in 2019-20, according to the IDSA study, making it one of the major direct selling marketplaces in the northern region. According to a report published during a news conference, almost 1.5 lakh individuals in the state engaged in direct selling.
Last year, IDSA treasurer Vivek Katoch praised the Punjab government and food, civil supplies, and consumer affairs minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu for announcing direct selling norms. The rules provided regulatory clarity for the state’s business model, he said, adding that the industry also paid more than $60 million in taxes to the state coffers.
To reinforce the state’s regulatory framework, the department of food, civil supplies, and consumer affairs issued direct selling rules in November 2020. According to the Punjab recommendations, the state monitoring authority must be formed, including senior officials from several ministries of the state government and a subject matter expert selected by the government.
