6 months ago
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Raichur MP G. Kumar Naik has accused the Union authorities of failing to support accepted kirana stores from the assertive enlargement of e-commerce quick-delivery platforms, claiming that astir 2 lakh tiny retail shops person unopen down crossed the state successful the past 1 year.
Raising the substance successful the Lok Sabha during Question Hour connected Tuesday, Mr. Naik said that tiny retailers are nether terrible strain owed to predatory pricing and overwhelming contention from integer platforms.
He asked Union Minister of Commerce and Industry whether the authorities recognises the unit connected kirana owners, peculiarly regarding pricing, contention and semipermanent endurance successful a rapidly digitising economy.
“The government, successful its reply, said that the assemblage is guided by marketplace forces and existing laws and that aggrieved retailers tin attack the Competition Commission of India (CCI). This effect is profoundly unrealistic arsenic idiosyncratic shopkeepers deficiency resources, ineligible entree and clip to combat prolonged battles against ample corporations,” helium said successful a enactment released connected Tuesday.
Citing a study by the All India Consumer Products Distributors Federation (AICPDF), helium said that astir 2 lakh kirana shops person closed successful the past 1 year. “This is not a insignificant marketplace shift, but a situation affecting livelihoods, section economies and neighbourhood ecosystems,” helium said.
Mr. Naik said that the authorities continues to item the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) arsenic its flagship intervention. But helium pointed retired that the level has supported lone 3,500 kirana stores, a negligible fig erstwhile compared to the standard of closures.
Welcoming the 30% procurement regularisation for Single Brand Retail nether FDI norms arsenic it volition fortify sourcing from MSMEs and section producers, Mr. Naik stressed the request for ensuring much than indirect extortion for kirana shops.
“Kirana shops request nonstop safeguards, fairer contention rules and progressive measures to forestall predatory pricing. Without this, we volition proceed to spot tiny retailers pushed retired portion ample platforms consolidate their dominance,” helium said.
Emphasising the wider societal impact, helium said that tiny retail outlets served arsenic anchors of assemblage trust, section recognition and mundane convenience.
“We privation our younker to go entrepreneurs and tiny concern owners, not beryllium restricted to precarious gig enactment without semipermanent prospects,” helium said.
