India's Restaurant Potential To Provide 1.5 Cr Jobs By 2028

New Delhi: India's restaurant sector has the potential to provide employment to 1.5 crore people by 2028, from 85 lakh at present, provided it gets the "right impetus" from the government including an 'industry' status and benefit of input tax credit on GST, National Restaurant Association of India's (NRAI) Vice President Zorawar Kalra said on Wednesday. The NRAI claims to represent 5 lakh restaurants across the country. The association has been at loggerheads with food delivery aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato primarily over the aggregators' foray into the quick-commerce space with their own private-label brands, arguing this move undermines fair competition and harms independent restaurants. "We don't have a separate industry status, that would be a big positive move, as it would give us a voice," Kalra told media.