After Sheila, Maha CM demands FDI in retail

With UPA's maverick ally Trinamool Congress currently sidelined in the wake of presidential elections, the demand for FDI in multi-brand retail has once again picked up pace.

With UPA's maverick ally Trinamool Congress currently sidelined in the wake of presidential elections, the demand for FDI in multi-brand retail has once again picked up pace.

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After Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, now Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan is batting for the implementation of the policy.

The FDI in retail would allow foreign retail giants to set up shops in India and buy stakes up to 51% in such ventures.

Talking to HT on Thursday at Parliament, where he came to support Pranab Mukherjee's candidature, Chavan said, "The FDI in multi-brand retail should be allowed so as to benefit farmers and consumers. It would help create infrastructure."

Under immense political pressure from Trinamool Congress, the UPA government had to put the FDI retail policy on hold. After days of stalling the parliament in the last winter session, Trinamool had threatened to vote against the government on the issue.

The government deferred the rollout of the policy till a consensus was evolved. Chavan, seen as a staunch supporter of economic reforms, however, feels the FDI policy in civil aviation should be mulled with caution. "It has security implications...,"he told HT.