7. My Committee may here be allowed to make some reference to the present organisational position and strength of the Indian Merchants’ Chamber. As mentioned before, the Chamber was established in the year 1907. It has since the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms been represented both in the Central Legislative Assembly and in the Provincial Legislature. In addition, the Chamber enjoys the privilege of sending representatives to various Public Bodies, such as the Indian Central Cotton Committee, the Board of the Bombay Port Trust, Bombay Municipal Corporation, Senate of the University of Bombay, Local Advisory Committees of the Railways, Governing Body of the I.M.M.T.S. “Dufferin”, the Indian Sailors’ Home Committee, Board of Communications, Traffic Advisory Committee and several other official and advisory organisations. The Chamber has a general membership of over 2,300 spread all over the country. Its membership is not confined to the Province of Bombay. The Chamber represents more than 75 different types of trades and business, and has on its own roll a number of leading Joint Stock Companies and Corporations, including all the leading Banks, Insurance Companies, Shipping and Industrial undertakings. Besides, 106 trade Associations representing different trades, such as grain, seeds, sugar, rice, bullion, iron, chemicals, yarn, machinery and stores, paper, silk, cloth, oils, electrical goods, etc. are affiliated to the Chamber as members. The total strength of the affiliated Associations runs into thousands. In a practical sense thus, the representatives elected by the Chamber can be deemed to be representatives of the large number of Associations representing different branches of trade and commerce affiliated to it. The organization of the Chamber is thus very broad-based, and by recognizing the Indian Merchants’ Chamber as a Constituency for purposes of representation in the future Houses of Legislature, Government would be affording representation to all branches of economic, trade and industrial activities.
