Trader orgs plan biggest protest against retail giants
08 Oct '07
3 min read
A National steering committee has been formed in Delhi under the banner of Vyapaar Rozgaar Bachao Andolan: A Movement for Retail Democracy, and has been coordinating the campaign all over India. Dharmendra Kumar Sharma, Convenor of this committee and the Director of India FDI Watch, confirmed that along with him, other leaders of the national committee will be attending the rally ie. Shyam Bihari Mishra (Former MP & President, Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal), Banwari Lal Kancchal (MP & President, Rashtriya Vyapar Mandal) and others.
With around 1.5 crore outlets India has the largest density of retailers in the world. Forming 97% of the retail industry sales in the country. The retail industry comprises of wholesalers, retailers, commission agents, kirana shop owners, hawkers, mathadi workers and co-operative stores is the second largest source of livelihood and employment after agriculture in the country.
Due to the large scale growth of large malls, entry of corporates like Reliance, Subhiksha, ITC, Spencer's, More etc in the retail industry with active support of the government, the unorganized retail sector is slated to loose out to this attack and loose almost 20% of their business to these corporations in the next 4 years.
Recent studies around malls and hyper markets have already shown a steady decline in the business of traditional retail stores in the locality. Despite protests all over the country, that is in UP, West Bengal, Jharkhand, MP, Kerala, Orissa, the central government has been refusing to act in the National interest of protecting the livelihoods of nearly 4 crore persons and instead leaving the traders and other affected persons to fend for themselves.
The State Governements of Kerala and UP have shown political maturity and were quick to see the writing on the wall and pass laws curbing the entry and growth of corporations in the retail sector. But the state government of Maharashtra has refused to make any statement or take any action against the growth of the mall culture due to the pressure of the corporations.
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