ACRetailers body working with TS, AP, others
After helping Maharashtra to develop a policy for retail sector, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) said it is working with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan and hopefully these states would also come out with their own policy for retail businesses.
RAI proposes to bring out an exclusive policy for retail biz in each of the states
New Delhi: After helping Maharashtra to develop a policy for retail sector, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) said it is working with Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan and hopefully these states would also come out with their own policy for retail businesses.
RAI worked closely with Maharashtra for about one and half years, as the state became the first in the country to come out with the draft policy on retailing. Kumar Rajagopalan of RAI said Telangana had begun by allowing shops to remain open all seven days a week. "Apart from Delhi, which always allowed shops to remain open all days, only Maharashtra and Telangana now have this provision," he pointed out.
Most of the states are now considering formulating a new retailing policy as they can attract investments besides creating new job opportunities, hence retailing is considered as a potential sector by state government. Further, the traders’ body is lobbying with some of the state to allow women to work beyond 8.30 pm, a crucial time when the shoppers start their evening shopping.
“We are trying to impress upon such states to allow more working hours for women,” he said. According to statistics, about 20 per cent of the workforce in India is women, while globally women constitute about 50 per cent. Also, RAI is working with the builders and policy makers to reduce the rental values as in India the retailers are paying about 12 per cent of the turnover towards rent also as against 3 per cent globally. Any reduction in rental values would benefit the retail business since they need lot of space for warehousing beside shop area.
