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Devil's Advocate: Kamal Nath
Published on Sun, Mar 18, 2007 at 20:29, Updated at Sat, Jun 16, 2007 in Nation section
Tags: Devils Advocate, Kamal Nath , Karan Thapar
STRONG VOICE: Kamal Nath says Nandigram issue has nothing to do with the SEZs.
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Karan Thapar: So, what you are saying is that it may not be in the Act in the way the we wanted do it or thought we could do it, but it is still available to the state governments to do. In other words, those state governments, which believe their respective SEZs should have a ‘hire and fire’ policy, can give them that liberty?
Kamal Nath: Not on everything or on all the labour laws. There are various types of labour laws.
Karan Thapar: But they can make it less rigid?
Kamal Nath: They can make it more attuned to the specifics of that area. We must understand a new thing, which is happening and I must say it that there is a competitive atmosphere within states. States want to draw investment. Whatever they think is in the interest of the state, they will obviously want to do it.
Karan Thapar: So, as the states compete with each other, to attract investment and as they compete to make their SEZs more attractive, they have the room to make labour laws less rigid and more attractive?
Kamal Nath: They have asked for it, but the Central Government has so far not responded to it and I think this is something that the chief Ministers will themselves take it up in the next chief ministers’ meeting.
Karan Thapar: But you vote as an individual minister will be to give them if they want it?
Kamal Nath: I would say this on one side is employment protection and on the other is employment generation, we need to create a balance.
Karan Thapar: Absolutely, but create a balance that attracts investment. And so, if the states are asking for it, consider giving it to them.
Kamal Nath: Of course, I would consider it.
Karan Thapar: Minister, let’s turn towards FDI or whether large corporate houses should be permitted to enter the retail sector in India. You commissioned a study from ICRIER (Indian Council of Research in International Economic Relations) on the impact that this would have. People say you have chosen the wrong organisation because two years ago they produced a study to say that in fact FDI in retail would have no real meaningful impact on small retailers. Have you chosen a partisan group to do this study?
Kamal Nath: I think ICRIER is very credible and this time we have given them a much more holistic view. It’s not just FDI, it is whether large retails by the big houses, how does it impact the small players. Does it dislocate them? We’ve also put there what is in the interest of the consumer. We’ve also put there what they do for the economy.
Karan Thapar: Quite right. And you think ICRIER is the right body to do this. It’s not party-pre and prejudiced?
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Total Comments: 5
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Yes, Garima. And it is sad that the educated class of our country can do so little to change these
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It is pathetic that the political system whose objective should be our country's development is always obstructing its success!
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Displacement of small retailers, margin pressure, twist in new rules of the game would lead lot of confusion. However, despite
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I heard the minister for the first time but I must say that I am very impressed by him. Although
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One of the rarest interviews of Devils Advocate where the guest proved himself 'a man of substance'. I have never
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