IndiaRetailBiz

A Parliamentary panel of the Government of India is seeking opinion of traders, other stakeholders and public in general on the entry of multinationals in the organised retail sector. The panelis headed by senior BJP leader Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, who was HRD minister in the NDA regime.

While, the panel has already taken some oral evidence on record, it has also made visits to some places for on the spot study.

Interested persons and parties, according to an official press release, can send their opinions and suggestion to the panel through e-mail at: watts@sansad.nic.in.

This is subsequent to a research report by ICRIER- the economic think tank of the country- on impact of big (organised) retail on small traders and unorganised retail sector submitted last month to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion of the Commerce and Industry ministry. ICRIER had found that organised retail would be in the interest of consumers and farmers and would have no long adverse impact on small traders and their employees.

ICRIER was roped in a few months ago by the union commerce ministry to conduct a survey and submit the report consequent to UPA chair person Sonia Gandhi’s missive on the subject to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking for such a study consequent to Bharti’s tie-up with Wal*Mart– the US-based world’s largest retailer– to foray into India’s retail sector.