Government sets the ball rolling for national retail policy

NEW DELHI: In line with the BJP’s manifesto to create a national policy on retail trade, the government has set the ball rolling with the first set of stakeholder consultations slated for Tuesday. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) has called a meeting of around ten retailers associations as it takes forward its agenda of putting in place a policy in 100 days.
“Establish National Traders’ Welfare Board and create a National Policy for Retail Trade for the growth of retail business,” the BJP said in its Sankalp Patra.

DPIIT was made the nodal agency for internal trade earlier this year.

“While informal discussions have been on for around two months, this is the first formal meeting,” said a retailer who has been invited to attend the meeting tomorrow.

The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has already suggested that the proposed policy should address central and state level trader related aspects, and promote fair and honest trade. It has sought low rate of interest, short to midterm lending and a mechanism to review laws, acts, rules and regulations governing trade in the policy besides the policy to address the issue of physical infrastructure in traditional and local neighborhood market.

“The trade policy must address this critical aspect so that local Tribunal / Lok Adalats can be established at all major markets,” CAIT said in its recommendations.

As per a representative of another association who will take part in the meeting, the department will make a presentation on the issue post which it will give its suggestions.