KARIMNAGAR, JULY 11, 2025: Employees and owners associated with the Karimnagar District Granite Industry have taken out a massive rally in Karimnagar town and staged a dharna in front of the Collectorate, demanding the government roll back increased royalties and stricter quarry lease regulations.
Stating that several granite firms were in crisis due to no business following the decline in the export of granite, the granite quarry owners say that the fresh GO Ms numbers 14, 16 and others would pose a serious threat to the closure of the granite industry by denying employment to several thousands of labourers.
Accordingly, the Karimnagar district Granite Association took out a rally in Karimnagar town on Friday and submitted a petition to Collector Pamela Satpathy at Collectorate, appealing to the government to provide relaxations for the existence of the Granite industry, which has given a new lease of life to Karimnagar and others.
The granite quarry operations said that the government doubled the royalty on slab cutters and removed a 40% royalty refund subsidy, significantly increasing operational costs for granite businesses. Similarly, stricter quarry lease regulations have also contributed to the crisis, making it harder for businesses to operate.
The granite industry is facing a slowdown, with reduced demand from real estate and infrastructure projects, further exacerbating the situation. The crisis has led to job losses and migration of workers to other regions in search of employment. A large percentage of granite units, especially in Karimnagar and Khammam districts, have either shut down or are on the verge of closure.
The granite industry is appealing to the government to consider their concerns and implement measures to revive the sector, including reducing the tax burden and simplifying regulations. These sharp hikes are leading to huge losses and are threatening the very survival of the granite industry.
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