Gogoi bats for FDI in multi-brand retail sector
June 9th, 2012 - 10:11 pm ICT by IANS
Guwahati, June 9 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Saturday called for foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail sector and said the states willing to implement it should be allowed to do so.
The Congress-led central government last year put on hold the decision to allow 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail following strong opposition from some quarters, including allies like the Trinamool Congress.
Talking to media persons here, Gogoi cited the introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) to which the BJP-ruled states were initially opposed but later allowed it.
“Even the entry of Pepsico and Kellogg’s was opposed in India at one point of time. Mainly the Left parties opposed the entry of those companies to India, but now everything is settled,” he said.
He said FDI in multi-brand retail would not affect local traders but help them.
This will cater to only 10-20 percent of the demands, that too in the cities, while 80 percent of the business will remain with the local retailers in interior places, he said.
Gogoi said the fear that small shops will cease to exist is unfounded. “See, coming of eateries brand like McDonald’s has not hampered the sale of local eateries or delicacies.”
Earlier, he Wednesday urged Prime Minister Manmogan Singh to implement the decision to allow the FDI in multi-brand retail.
Naming Trinamool chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Gogoi had said crucial policy decisions should not be held hostage to opposition by some state governments.
“Some states are opposing this, let them oppose. But those states who want, should not be deprived of this decision as it will help in improving agri-economy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the chief minister has also said that the government is looking forward to offer incentives to small, medium and cottage industries in the state and has already taken up the matter with the Planning Commission.
“Earlier, our thrust was big industries. However, we have failed to bring in much big industries to set up their units in Assam. Now we have changed our thrust to small medium and cottage industries.”
- Gogoi urges PM to implement FDI in retail sector - Jun 07, 2012
- We are not against FDI in retail: Akhilesh Yadav - Jul 24, 2012
- Nitish Kumar opposes FDI in retail - Jul 31, 2012
- Amit Mitra shifts stand on FDI in retail - Nov 28, 2011
- States have prerogative not to allow FDI in multi-brand retail: Government - Sep 18, 2012
- Farmer association supports FDI in retail - Dec 22, 2011
- Nitish against FDI in retail - Nov 25, 2011
- Trinamool to continue opposition to FDI in retail - Aug 10, 2012
- 'Efforts on to allow FDI in multi-brand retail' - Mar 16, 2012
- FDI in retail not to hurt kirana stores: Virbhadra Singh - Dec 02, 2011
- Tripura government opposes FDI in retail - Nov 30, 2011
- BJP open to discussing FDI in multi-brand retail - Dec 21, 2011
- Microsoft 'disappointed' with hold back on retail FDI - Dec 09, 2011
- Sharma seeks Punjab, Haryana's support for FDI in retail - Jul 18, 2012
- Ally Trinamool joins BJP, Left in opposing FDI in retail - Nov 24, 2011
Tags: assam, bjp, central government, chief minister, delicacies, fdi, foreign direct investment, kellogg, left parties, local traders, mamata banerjee, media persons, pepsico, planning commission, policy decisions, retail sector, state governments, tarun, trinamool congress, west bengal