Now, FDI a reality

After getting Lok Sabha approval on FDI in retail, the Government is set get also its approval in Rajya Sabha also. When the BSP supremo Mayawati announced in the Upper House that her party would support the government, it became crystal clear that FDI is going to become a reality. FDI issue is purely related to the economy of our nation. The ruling UPA being the exponent of FDI in multi-brand retail enumerates only the benefit from it whereas almost all the opposition parties describe it as anti-poor and nation as well. The UPA government advocates that FDI in multi-retail will immensely benefit the farmers as it would close all doors of middlemen between the farmers and purchasers of their products. The bigger share of the price of products is generally gulped by the middlemen as there is no direct contact between farmers and purchasers of their products. Opposition parties -BJP and Left- say that the multi-national giant like Walmart, Tesco, Carrefore and others will make purchasing in bulk from outside and nominal percentage of purchasing from the domestic market. They also advocate that with their entry in multi-brand retail, they will devour our small retailers and thereby creating a huge problem of unemployment. While the UPA government claims that with the coming of FDI, crores of jobs will be created. The reality on the ground tells contrary to what the opposition parties say. Big Shopping Malls have come up in almost all big cities of the nation. But no news in any dailies of the nation has ever appeared that the particular small shops had to be closed because the malls came up in their vicinity. So, the clear picture has not emerged before the general public about the advantage from FDI. The people are confused whether to accept ruling or opposition version on FDI. One thing is also tested that whenever a new economic policy and programme is introduced, a lot of hue and cry by the opposition takes place over it. But when it starts giving huge benefit to the general public all over the nation, it is accepted across the party lines. The UPA government has already shaken off the Opposition challenge on the FDI in retail issue by getting approval of the Lok Sabha as BSP and SP bailed it out by not participating in voting. The Congress-led UPA scored 253 against 218 votes after two days of heated debate and came out victorious.BSP and SP, key outside supporters with a total of 43 members in the Lower House, which were against the FDI in multi-brand retail, staged a tactical walkout.