FDI in retail on hold till CMs respond, says Anand Sharma
July 19th, 2012 - 11:33 pm ICT by IANSChandigarh, July 19 (IANS) Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma Thursday said that the proposal to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in the retail sector has been kept in abeyance for the time being till all the chief ministers’ response is received.
Addressing media here after meeting the chief ministers of Punjab and Haryana separately, the union minister said that some chief ministers were yet to respond to the proposal and so the matter was held in abeyance.
Sharma said he would like all chief ministers to state their views on this issue before taking a final decision.
“Since our country is a union of states, we abide by its federal character and, therefore, are bound by the consensus on the issue,” Sharma said.
Asked if the Punjab government had made its stand clear on the issue, Sharma said that state had not commented on it yet.
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in Punjab had first welcomed FDI in retail sector but later changed its stand and started opposing it. The Akali Dal has an alliance government with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Punjab. The BJP and BJP-ruled states are opposing the FDI in retail.
- Akali Dal takes U-turn on retail FDI - Dec 02, 2011
- FDI: Government firm, tries to woo allies (Roundup) - Dec 02, 2011
- Akali Dal to go with NDA on presidential poll - Jun 12, 2012
- Sharma seeks Punjab, Haryana's support for FDI in retail - Jul 18, 2012
- Amarinder's brother leads list of Punjab Congress rebels - Jan 07, 2012
- Nitish Kumar opposes FDI in retail - Jul 31, 2012
- Punjab cabinet rejects NCTC proposal - Feb 24, 2012
- Ally Trinamool joins BJP, Left in opposing FDI in retail - Nov 24, 2011
- Akali Dal releases second list of candidates - Dec 27, 2011
- Rollback FDI in retail to let parliament run: BJP - Nov 28, 2011
- Trinamool to continue opposition to FDI in retail - Aug 10, 2012
- Congress embarrassed after drubbing by Akalis (Punjab Newsletter) - Jun 15, 2012
- 'Efforts on to allow FDI in multi-brand retail' - Mar 16, 2012
- 'Jeeta and Jaggi', 'Jhootha and Thaggi' colour Punjab campaign - Jan 13, 2012
- BJP not to support Akali Dal on Bhullar clemency - Sep 23, 2011
Tags: abeyance, alliance government, anand sharma, bharatiya janata party, bjp, chief ministers, cms, commerce minister, consensus, fdi in retail, fdi in retail sector, final decision, foreign direct investment, haryana, proposal, punjab government, separately, union minister