Seeing positive experience of other Countries the FDI policy debate in India seems unreasonable...

The recent hullabaloo over foreign direct investment in retail sector has unnerved Parliament into hysteria. The first inkling I got from the opposition by BJP, is this same party which was mooting 100% FDI in retail sector nine years ago. The Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Naidu and how can we forget West Bengal have vowed not to permit FDI in their states. Mamata Bannerjee, who usually act the character of opponent within the UPA government and has presently walloped a populist pose on retail, she should spot where the bona fide interest lie. The BJP might plausibly put on by tripling up the UPA, Trinamool Congress unquestionably won’t.

In veracity the, far-off multi-brand retailers cannot wholly substitute mom-and-pop stores, but undoubtedly create more jobs and momentously, are associated with revenue generation and overall economic development. As the chosen rulers, the Chief Ministers of all states should mull over the philosophical impact that the retail sector has on a country’s socio-economic development. Our economic expert PM. Singh will do well to remember that the economy is in parlous state.

Retailing in mature markets, without similar FDI constraint, employs proportionally more people as well as provides greater education, training and personal development opportunities.

The familiarity of other states should enlighten the guideline dispute in our country. Retailing in middle-aged bazaar without parallel FDI constraint, such as England, provide work for comparatively more people (10.5 % in England versus 8.2 % in India), as well as endow with superior education, training and personal development opportunities. In nations like Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, lessening of FDI has turn out to be, lessening of unemployment and amplified revenue generation for the economies as a whole. Moreover this might results in shutting down of some neighborhood stores due to inefficiency.

With proper political management Congress can ride out the present FDI crises.

Furthermore, the current FDI policies allow state governments to latitude to march in and grant the incentives and fiscal support to perk up the competitiveness of the mom-and-pop stores. This is what the Malaysian government did when it liberalized the retail sector in 95. There is to a large extent global skill that state governments can hear from.

The definition of Retailing is to provide right product at the right price at the right time to the customer. Accordingly the mom-and-pop stores supply three chief advantages- location, time of delivery and tailored recognition. Those qualities are almost impossible to replicate in modern retail shops. It also includes home delivery, year’s relationship with retailer and mutual trust. This is the very reason why till now we have more consumers in mom-and-pop stores but not in a small modern retailing like Food Bazaar or Spencer.

The BJP might conceivably gain by tripping up the UPA, Trinamool Congress certainly won’t.

In India, stat shows retailing is second largest employer after agriculture. If at this point Congress tries to role back it would spell out the end of the Indian story, as it would indicate government failure. If BJP can arrange the traders bandh as we saw yesterday why not Congress appeal to the farmers and consumers. If would act if it gets words of support from allies like Sharad Pawar, who is seen representing the interests of the farmers.

Bracing FDI limitations in a coordinated and managed way offers the leeway not only to give consumers new options but also could provide benefits to farmers, manufactures and small business enterprises.

The FDI stroke gives a break to State Governments to artistically enclose their own canon and smash their own limitations and admonition. If the Chief Minister of some states do not want FDI in their representative state that too is possible. Let them guard their citizens from profits and expenditure that might mount up to other states. To oppose this stroke on the national level seems irrational based on experience somewhere else. In spite of an open market, no one retailer dominates European retailing, you should have solid reason for your opposition. India too can be same as Europe to set its own priorities and principles. It is the time to climb above wobbly and tenuous affirmations. India’s future financial and societal growth is at venture.

Prateek Pathak

Student

B.A in Media Studies

University of Allahabad

Will you eat your Physics, Chemistry or Engineering Degree?

‘My interpretation on sustainable development is that the development which result in social harmony not social unrest. Handful are richer more are poor what type of technology is it. 75% commoners are only earning 20 rupees per day. Eating ratio in a day has decreased in this last decade. Problem is unemployment. You will eat your physics, chemistry or engineering degree? When jobs are not there what is it to pass out from famous institutes. You should have knowledge of economy to solve these problems, technology would not solve. We have to introduce technology in agriculture. Government policies in the urban centers should be reversed. Problem is how to raise purchasing power. We can increase the production of say steal or chemicals, but the major problem is how will we sold. You should increasing purchasing power in urban areas. Farmers should become more prosperous. Unless farmers will not make profit how will they buy industrial good? Because of low purchasing power manufacturing jobs are also declining. At present prices are skies rocketing. Every parent wants to see their kids in IIT, but it cannot be true. ’- these lines were delivered by Justice Markandey Katju, Chairman, Press Council of India, who was the Chief Guest in inaugural function of Golden Jubilee Conclave on Technology For Sustainable Development.

At the M.P hole of Moti Lal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Allahabad the function started by the lecture of Guest of Honour, Dr. Santosh Mehrotra, Director General, institute of Applied Manpower Research, Government of India. He started by saying number of poor have not decline Young people should be used for the development of the nation. We should use technology for sustainable development. Water table is declining. Only 40% land is irrigated 60% depends on rain. Why manrega in the country is so important because it is creating asset which will save rain water. As we grow we would industrialize, we need land for that. Mining in unplanned manner is there both in legal and in-legal manner. You can’t go on displacing Adivasi. We have no action plan for climate change. China is 20 years ahead of us because it relied on solar, pekoe micro hydra. We can take the example of Allahabad where there is electricity in most of the houses but there is a 6-8 hours power cut. I would like to challenge the youth how solar can be used. He concluded by words of Mahatma Gandhi- ‘If you want to see change be that change.’

The conclave had the invited lectures by some of the prominent experts. This includes personalities like Prof G.K Rai, Director, Institute of Professional Studies, University of Allahabad who delivered his lecture on Technology and Sustainable Development-finding our way out. He started by saying there is no harm if we are adopting western model. We cannot desire that a small kid will have the deep knowledge of culture. One and all cannot be a scholar. He also compared America and Africa and showed some analytical statistics. He concluded by saying ‘Poor man can be rich in terms of happiness’.

Other speakers were Prof K.S Rao, IIT, Delhi who spoke on Sustainable Infrastructure Development, Prof D.K Srivastava, Director, Madras School of Economics, Chennai, who spoke on Sustaining India’, Prof Kiran Seth, IIT, Delhi, who spoke on India’s Core Competence, Dr. G.N Pandey, who spoke on Nuclear Energy for national development, Prof Chandan Ghosh, NIDM, Delhi who spoke on Sikkim Earthquake 2011, Prof. S.K Joshi, NPL, Delhi who spoke on Sustainable Development-Needs a realignment of engineering education, Prof D. Bandopadhay, Vice Chancellor, GGIP University, New Delhi who spoke on Sustainability in the paradigm of Management & Policy, and Prof M.M Pant, who spoke on Education and Sustainable development.

The conclave had many students and faculty members of different colleges of Allahabad. The conclave’s inaugural function was preside by Prof. P Chakrabarti, Director, Moti Lal Nehru National Institute of Technolgy, Allahabad.

Prateek Pathak

Student

B.A in Media Studies

University of Allahabad