Mumbai:
Close on the heels of the Reserve Bank seeking clarifications
from the government on its decision to allow NRI investments
in areas like agriculture, plantation and real estate
through the automatic route by transfer of shares, now
the CPI (M) has asked the government to rescind any policy
decision to open these sensitive areas for 100-per cent
FDI.
Reacting
to the recommendation to this effect by a group of ministers
headed by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, the CPM politburo
said such a decision would "only aggravate the already
deepening agrarian crisis in the country, which is marked
by growing distress suicides and starvation deaths".
Pointing
out that trade liberalisation has already hurt producers
of commercial
crops, including plantations, the CPM said, "In Kerala
particularly, lakhs of people are facing pauperisation
especially in areas producing coffee, pepper, cardamom
etc".
It
asked the UPA government to "desist from any such
move and rescind any policy decisions if taken on this
score".
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