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Big retail not welcome in Punjab, says Badal Chandigarh, October 10 Reliance and other corporate houses, which recently entered in the retail business at various places in the country, are having tough time in Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, and Maharashtra. Their retail malls at certain places faced violence and made to down shutters. Small and marginal shopkeepers have the apprehension that they will make them jobless in a short period. However, both Badal and Kalia were non-committal on setting up some legal provision to block their entry into the retail markets. Commenting on the entry of corporate houses in retail sector, Badal said “Reliance and other such houses are big traders and hence should do big business instead of stealing bread and butter from the hands of small and marginal shopkeepers.” Kalia’s views were almost on similar lines. “Reliance is welcome to set up industries and other ventures in Punjab but should avoid entry into the retail sector,” he said, talking separately to The Tribune here today. “An international player like Reliance and others houses of their status should not compete with the owner of a small shop in a town in Punjab,” said Kalia. Badal said instead of entering retail business, big corporate houses should spend at least 10 per cent of their profit on providing good education, health services and drinking water to people. They should make entry into the volunteer service sector also, he added. Badal said there was so much unemployment, poverty and other problems that it could lead to big unrest in the country. “We need to address issues like unemployment and poverty on priority basis,” he added. Badal said he was all for nuclear power in the state and supported the nuclear deal. Power was required for giving boost to the development process in the country, he added. As for elections, he said his party was prepared to contest the Lok Sabha elections. He was not satisfied with the increase in minimum support price of wheat. “It is insufficient,” he added. Some system should be devised to make agriculture a profitable venture for farmers in the country, he added.
Mumbai traders protest against organised retail
Mumbai, October 10 The police estimated that more than 20,000 persons participated in the protests. Though similar protests have been held in Mumbai in the past, it is the first time that so many retailers shut their businesses to participate in a protest today. ‘We have been encouraged by the action of the governments in Orissa and Uttar Pradesh in curbing companies like Reliance Retail," Mohan Gurnani, president of the Federation of Associations of Merchants told this reporter. Shops run by small kirana merchants were shut in many parts of the city as shopkeepers joined the protests. They also got support from wholesalers and commission agents who are sought to be bypassed by the new formats of organised retail. The protesters were joined by roadside hawkers who have been evicted from the vicinity of the big malls in recent months. Gurnani said an umbrella body called the Vyapaar Rozgaar Suraksha Kriti Samiti comprising more than 750 trade associations across Maharashtra have been set up to take on organised retail. "Lakhs of small retailers will be put out of business if the government goes ahead with permitting FDI in retail," Gurnani said at the meeting. FAM pointed out that India has more than 1.5 crore retail outlets. "The entry of big chains would mean that like in the UK about 10 retail chains will control the entire market," Gurnani said. FAM says organised retailers are known to ramp up operations rapidly. The body cites the example of Thailand where big retail chains control 10 per cent of the market just 10 years after they were allowed entry. Even the wholesale agricultural market remained closed today. Wholesalers of vegetables and fruits along with the mathadi workers or headloaders who fetch and carry the heavy loads participated in the protests.
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