The Confederation of All India Traders has criticised the Niti Aayog for allegedly ``interfering’’ in e-commerce rules proposed by the Consumer Affairs Ministry and suggesting that some rules are best left to other Ministries and Departments, such as the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).
“It is highly unfortunate that the Niti Aayog, in the last seven years since its inception, has done absolutely nothing to support the 8 crore traders of India. Now, when the government is trying to create a level playing field in the retail sector, Niti Aayog is trying to derail the process,” CAIT Secretary-General Praveen Khandelwal said in a press statement circulated on Saturday.
The Niti Aayog, in an office memorandum issued last month, has reportedly suggested that e-commerce rules, in areas such as flash sales, be handled by other bodies (ministries or departments or regulators such as MeITY, DPIIT, CCI ) that are specialised and better equipped to address the nuances pertaining to these issues.
CAIT said the Consumer Affairs Ministry should implement the draft consumer protection e-commerce rules at the earliest as they are in the best interest of the consumers as well as the traders of the country, and would not only ensure best quality and price for consumers, but also create a robust ecosystem of sustainable growth for Indian traders.