The Delhi government has recommended the Center to improve the retail sector in the country by simplifying registration laws and introducing innovative business practices, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said in a statement on Wednesday.
The government has sent a five-point letter of recommendation to the Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) of the central government on the next national retail policy.
Among the recommendations are the introduction of a unique identification system for simplified business registration and the establishment of a strict monitoring and evaluation framework in the Central Inspection System (CIS) in order to minimize duplication of inspections.
Other recommendations include increasing the validity of licenses to five years, integrating the national careers portal and job exchange portals with a one-stop-shop system, and introducing a seamless process. hassle for closing businesses.
Sisodia said that at present, retailers in India are fighting for a national policy that can help them with a framework to conduct their business in an organized manner.
The post-pandemic era has seen a sea change in consumer behavior that has led to many strategic shifts in the retail industry, he said.
The government should think strategically to streamline the industry through the national retail policy, he added.
“The national retail policy has great potential to streamline the retail industry and can be an accelerator for the country’s socio-economic development,” Sisodia said.
A unique identification system should be introduced by the central government for retail traders, to simplify the licensing and registration process across the country, he said.
Sisodia, who is also Finance Minister in Delhi’s AAP government, said that in Delhi, several initiatives to promote the retail sector have been taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
A one-stop licensing system, extensive skills development programs, a month-long Delhi Shopping Festival project for retail promotion, Dilli Bazaar – an e-commerce platform for businesses, make part of these initiatives, he said.
The DPIIT proposed to formulate a national retail policy to promote the growth of domestic trade.
This policy aims to streamline retailing and promote the ease of doing business in the retail sector.
Its main objective is to identify and close the existing infrastructural gaps affecting the retail industry and to promote e-commerce throughout the country.
Leveraging retail for socio-economic development and accelerating the flow of investment to underdeveloped regions are also among its goals.
