French supermarket prices rise 5% in a year
The French Economic Affairs Minister Christine Lagarde said yesterday that prices in French supermarkets increased by about 5% between February 2007 and February 2008.
Kerala to examine legal aspects for banning retail chains
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPI(M) led LDF government on Tuesday said it would examine all legal aspects of bringing forward an ordinance to ban retail chains of national and multinational companies.
Replying to a calling attention on the difficulties faced by small time traders after the arrival of multinational retail chains, Food and Civil Supplies Minister C Divakaran told the assembly today that the government welcomed the idea of banning retail chains of big companies and would examine the legal aspect for the same.
He said the government had already sent to the Centre, a draft bill of the State’s Essential Commodities Act, to control retail chains of big companies and was waiting for its approval.
To face the challenge from these companies, the government would strengthen and modernize the Public Distribution System and open more Civil Supplies Corporation outlets. There were also plans to open hi-tech super markets in towns, he said.
Congress MLA N Sakthan spoke of the problems faced by lakhs of small traders and asked the government to make necessary amendments in the Panchayati Raj Act to prevent the entry of retail chains of big companies.
Protests in Kerala, govt allies say it’s endorsing organized retail
Organized retail chains have faced violent campaigns against them in the state, with a number of these protests led by constituents of the ruling Left Democratic Front
http://www.livemint.com/2008/03/09230531/Protests-in-Kerala-govt-allie.html
Kochi: The Kerala government’s proposed 10% surcharge on the profits of big retail chains, paraded as a hurdle to the entry of the giants, has run into trouble, with members of its own ruling communist alliance condemning the plan as —actually—an endorsement of organized retail.
Kerala minister for food and civil supplies C. Divakaran said the proposal will be opposed at all levels and claimed the “surcharge is an incentive to retailers.”
Organized retail chains have faced violent campaigns against them in the state, with a number of these protests led by constituents of the ruling Left Democratic Front.
Reacting to the criticism, state finance minister Thomas Isaac said: “There is nothing like legitimizing this. It (organized retail) is there and we have decided to tax them. It is true that there has been stiff opposition to their entry into the state.
But, the law does not prevent them from setting up shops and imposition of additional levies on these big chains has been demanded by almost all sections of society.”
Local self-government minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty admitted that the law does not prevent big retailers from operating in the state, but said his party would try to find ways to oppose their entry. If local self-governments, such as panchayats, municipalities or corporations, withhold licences to the retail chains, they approach the tribunal for local self-government institutions and get the orders, he said. Indeed, the tribunals often rule in favour of the corporations.
In Solidarity!
Dharmendra Kumar
Director
India FDI Watch
M-09871179084
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