Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has attacked the Government for preferential treatment to e-commerce and lamented the step motherly attitude towards domestic trade.
While registering its strong protest for not being invited to a meeting on e-commerce last week chaired by Suresh Prabhu Union Minister for Commerce & Industry, the CAIT said that the e-commerce market in India which remains very critical since its inception in the country due to ill-designed business practices adopted by various leading e-commerce players with a single motto of controlling and dominating retail trade by offering deep discounts and predatory pricing is a matter of great concern for the trading community.
CAIT National President B.C.Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal suggested that till the time e-commerce policy is formulated, strict directions should be issued to adhere to and implement the same in too. To monitor the same a Special Task Force should be constituted with officials and representative of trade and e-commerce platforms. Further, CAIT should be made part of the formulation of e-commerce policy.
The CAIT further regretted that e-commerce platforms are grossly and openly flouting Press No.3 of FDI Policy issued on 29th March, 2016 which restrains e-commerce companies for influencing the prices and make responsible for creating an even level playing filed but despite several complaints Government choose to remain a mute spectator giving them an open play ground to play the game with their own rules. No action has been taken against any such company till date which is highly disappointing.
The CAIT complained that since last four years no meeting of trading community was convened to discuss upgradation, modernisation and structured growth of domestic trade while due promptness was shown to e commerce and FDI in Retail.It appears that retail trade in India is like an orphan child having no guardian. Most particularly, the Ministry of Commerce was expected to take due care of the domestic trade but we are sorry to say that it has not happened at all.
“We highly regret the discriminatory action of your Ministry which has scant respect for domestic trade which is magnificently contributing to exchequer and one of the largest employment generator after Agriculture in the Country,” said CAIT.
