Personal computers had begun replacing the old system of book-keeping thanks to the ease and speed that the former provides.
Personal computers had begun replacing the old system of book-keeping thanks to the ease and speed that the former provides. Given this, one would have expected the traditional account books to go obsolete. But guess what? They haven't. In fact businessmen continue to rely on them even as they use computers to take care of their accounts.
As a result sale of chopdas (traditional account books) are registering a rise. Experts attribute several reasons for the trend. Some say it is the businesses' inability to give up old tradition while others say it's the fear of virus that prevents businessmen from completely giving up the chopdas.
So as a precaution most businesses maintain accounts in the traditional way as well as on computers. Naresh Shah, president of Gujarat Book Sellers Stationary Association said this year they have seen a sudden increase in sale of traditional books for account-keeping. "The sale in number of books has increased by almost 150% this year compared to previous year. Last year we did a business of around Rs30 crore, but this year we are expecting it to touch Rs50 crore," said Shah.
Many small traders and entrepreneurs who adopted the electronic system of maintaining accounts through PCs now fear loss of data following a virus attack. Hence they ensure that they keep records in the books as well as the computer. As a result they are busy buying the traditional chopdas.
Also many traders from across the state come to Ahmedabad for buying these special chopdas, this also gives a boost to sales. The introduction of e-governance and online filing of VAT returns has made it mandatory for both small and big traders to file their returns. But as the government has given them a relaxation whereby two years returns can be filed at a stretch, many traders who had not properly maintained their accounts are buying chopdas not only for the current year but also for the previous year in which they did not properly maintain accounts. This may also have helped boost sale of chopdas.
Shah said the cost of books have also gone up by almost 20% to 25% as paper prices have seen a jump of Rs40 to Rs45 per kg this year.
"But the rise in prices has not affected sales. In fact the sale of day-to-day record books, collection books and registers has seen the highest rise this year," Shah said.
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