Govt firm to bring FDI in retail, says Rahul

Notwithstanding the move to bring foreign direct investment in retail being put on hold in the face of stiff opposition, Rahul Gandhi on Fruday asserted the Congress-led UPA government was determined to implement the decision.

Addressing a series of meetings in Uttar Pradesh, he said FDI in retail would be of immense help to farmers who could save their produce from rotting by taking advantage of cold storage chain that will come with FDI and get the right price.

At a meeting in Farrukhabad, which is the largest potato growing district in the country, Gandhi said 60 per cent of vegetables go waste and FDI would provide a chance to the farmers to directly sell their produce.

On the fourth day of his five-day mass contact programme here, Rahul said "farmers are facing problems as 60 per cent of vegetables go waste.. we brought FDI in retail so that they could sell their produce directly".

But the opposition stalled the move as they are "anti-farmer", he said.

At another meeting in Kannauj, Rahul, Congress general secretary, said while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and all opposition parties dourly resisted FDI in retail, the UPA government would certainly bring FDI in retail.

Rahul said when he on his way to Kannauj, some farmers showed him how pigs were eating potatoes littered on the road

"After a year's hard work, farmers have to see this situation", he said adding had FDI in retail been there the farmers would not have seen such "bad days".

The FDI in retail move had to be put on the backburner in the face of a united resistance from opposition parties and a section of UPA.