Unorganised retailers calls for study on impact of corporate retail

New Delhi, Jul 30 (UNI) Opposing the opening of retail trade to corporates, Confederation of All India Traders today urged the Union Commerce ministry to set up a special working group to study the socio-economic and cultural impact of corporate retail on small and medium enterprises.

The group; comprising of senior officers of the Ministry; should also include representatives of trade and industry, particularly small and medium eneterprises, the Confederation said in a letter to Commerce Minister Kamal Nath.

Confederation sought Small and Medium Retailers Act on the pattern of MSME (Micro, small and Medium Enterprises) Act to launch a cluster approach to shape unorganised retail into organised modern retailers.

Under this, each shopkeeper could become a link in a chain and provided credit at low interest, the body of unorganised retailers said,adding this would give such retail chains the necessary clout to bargain with suppliers.

It suggested a cap on number of shops a chain could set up in a state and city.

Confederation Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal also demanded a national policy on retail trade and small manufacturing and for implementing national policy on urban street vendors. He also sought law against predatory pricing and amendment in Agriculture Produce Market Committee Act.

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