In order to promote growth in multi-brand retail trade, industry body the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in its latest report has stated that the government should consider permitting 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail trade and further improve ease of doing business for the sector. With an aim to overcome the barriers and enable a smooth growth and harmonious coexistence of traditional and modern retail, the industry body said the government needs to adopt a single cohesive national retail policy, which adequately addresses all the concern areas.
The report further said the government should encourage modernisation of traditional retail by subsidising these retailers to adopt technology. It added that improved access to capital will help retail business especially the traditional retailers. It said that with a simplified, cohesive policy and a focused effort on modernising traditional retail sector, government can create multiple wins such as higher growth of the sector, larger traditional retail stores under regulatory compliance, and improved back-end efficiency with a lower overall cost to serve. So far, only one foreign player, Tesco, had received approval for opening stores under the multi-brand retail policy.
This recommendation is a part of CII’s national retail policy, which was jointly prepared by the industry chamber and AT Kearney. The policy has suggested several steps, including strengthening labour laws by regularising policies around part-time labour to ensure greater participation of women in the workforce; and review of food safety policies to update archaic laws governing stocking limits, weights and measures, labeling, and taxes on expired food items. It also asked for decreasing real estate constraints for retail expansion by creating dedicated retail special economic zones as well as simplify regulations and real estate approvals for kiranas to expand their stores.
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