CAIT RELEASED WHITE PAPER ON FDI IN RETAIL

CAIT CAUTION POLITICAL PARTIES SUPPORTING FDI IN RETAIL TO INTROSPECT THEIR DECISION

"Supporting the Government for a good cause that leads to betterment of life of "have not’s" certainly needs appreciation but extending unqualified "blind support" to the provisions which gives extra ordinary advantages to the "haves" which will have major fall out on poor people of the Country leads to a conclusion that so far the political parties supporting FDI have been kept in dark about the detrimental provisions of the notification issued on 20th September, 2012 by the Government which will lead to major fall out on farmers, labourers, hawkers and daily wage earners in the Country leaving aside its devastating implications on trade and small industry"-said Mr. Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) at a Presss Conference held here at New Delhi today.

The CAIT also released a "White Paper on FDI in Retail Trade" which explains ignoring the democratic process, taking shelter of incorrect & misleading facts and figures, bringing major changes in FDI policy laid down in the Parliament on 25th Nov,11 reflected in notification issued on 20th September,2012, flouting the principle of social & economic justice guaranteed by the Constitution and indulging in legislative flaws. In tune with Parliamentary debate, a "36 hours Protest Dharna" will be held continuesly on 4th & 5th December at Jantar-Mantar in New Delhi under the banner of Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha & will be joined by traders, farmers, hawkers, small industries, consumers and other sections of Retail Trade in large numbers. A meeting of trade and other Associations will be held tomorrow at Hindi Bhawan at ITO to discuss protest programe.

The Press Conference was attended by Shri Satish Garg, Organising General Secretary of CAIT, Farmers Leader Shri Naresh Sirohi, Shri Pradeep Sharma, National Coordinator, Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha, Shri Ramesh Khanna, Natioal Secretary , Shri Vijay Pal, Delhi State General Secretary of CAIT, Shri Adarsh Gupta, National Headquarter Incharge of CAIT, Shri Ramesh Kapoor, Treasurer, Shri Sanjeev Gupta, Programe coordinator and others.

Addressing the Press Conference Shri Khandelwal sought to know from various political parties supporting FDI in Retail that whether they are aware that the Government has made major deviations in notification issued on 20th September,2012 for providing extra ordinary advantages to global retailers to control and dominate the retail trade ? Whether they are aware that Government is repeatdly quoting 40% food wastage in the Country which is false and baseless since in September, 2010 the Government came to know the real figures of food wastage which was from 0.8% to 12% and in guava it is 18% ? Whether they are aware that under Multi Brand Retail, the Government has allowed trading of unbranded grains and pulses which will have adverse effect on Indian Farmers ? Whether they are aware that 30 % procurement condition from small Industries has been diluted with a provision to calculate such 30% from the total value of the procurement of first five years of their business operations? Whether they are aware that development of cold storage and modern transport system which was largely advocated by the Govt for the need of FDI have not been included in the definition of backend infrastructure resulting which global retailers are not bound to develop such infrastructure ? Whether they are aware that the FDI policy of the Government violates Principle of social & economic justice guaranteed under the Constitution ?

The trade leaders said that the notification of the Government is nothing but an authoritative hammer at the hands of global retailers which will result into mass unemployment as workers and labourers working in small industry, shops and in farming will be jobless. The farmers will become captive at the hands of global retailers. The poor people who do not get any employment can earn their livelihood by hawking and vending on streets but after FDI in Retail, they will loose their livelihood.

Mr. Khandelwal further said that most of the parties supporting FDI in Retail are the torch bearers of the interest of the poor sections of the people of India and it is most surprising that even at the cost of devastation of livelihood of these groups, the said political parties are signing the death warrant of such people by extending support to FDI in Retail.

The CAIT said that it is not a flimsy imagination but it has happened in Countries like USA, UK, Australia, Newzealand and European and other Countries where the global retailers are having their business operations and controlling the retail trade. Mr. Khandelwal urged the political leaders of all such parties who are supporting FDI in Retail to make a careful study of the notification dated 20th September,2012 and judge for themselves whether they are right in supporting the FDI in Retail ? The CAIT urged the leaders to reconsider their decision in the larger interest of the people of the Coutry and oppose FDI in Retail Trade.