Nitish opposes Union Cabinet's decision on FDI

Patna, Nov 25: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday vehemently opposed the Centre"s decision to allow FDI in retail saying it would “escalate unemployment" in the country.

“I oppose it, I oppose it tooth and nail... it is not the right step as it will ruin the retailers and will lead to a point of unemployment beyond imagination in the country," Kumar told reporters after releasing the report card of his government for the sixth consecutive year.

Recalling that he had earlier opposed creation of Special Economic Zone (SEZ), he said the result of which was evident in the country by now.

“The country can"t progress on the basis of the model of others... it will have to have indigenous model," Kumar said.

He said the power, propaganda and capital of the Multi-National Companies (MNCs) were as a matter of fact known to the country.

In reply to a question, Kumar said he would see what his government could do within its jurisdiction to avoid implementation of FDI policy in Bihar.

“Bihar was the first state which strongly objected to the proposal of SEZ," he said.

When his attention was drawn to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar"s statement in a journal that though he praised Nitish Kumar, no innovative measures were being adopted in Bihar, Chief Minister said “I have not gone through such statement."

“But what I want to clarify is that we have made a number of innovations in the field of agriculture... our seed replacement policy is well acclaimed," he said.

“If opening of doors for MNCs means innovation in agriculture... then we are sorry to say that I won"t subscribe to it," he said.

“We have seen successive failure of maize crops the seeds for which was provided an MNC and the state government has to pay Rs 61 crore as compensation for the crop loss to the farmers", he said.

“Be it BT brinjal and BT Maize, we are opposed to it because of concrete scientific reasons", he said.

PTI