In an interesting and significant development, dalits have decided to support FDI in retail.
At a function organised by the dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) here, entrepreneurs from across the country welcomed partnerships with big corporates and industries rather than financial assistance or reservation.
Speaking on the occasion, journalist and mentor of DICCI Chandrabhan Prasad said that people who have been long deprived of economic and social rights do not need reservation to grow.
“What they need are ample business opportunities to prove their merit. In this regard, allowing FDI in the country will open a number of avenues for people belonging to Scheduled Castes and Tribes too. The modern trade system offered equal opportunities to all depending on their skills contrary to the traditional trade system where all powers and money were vested in the hands of one. The old system promotes casteism while the new system will allow everyone to grow,” he said.
Mr Prasad further said the traditional trade system worked on a conventional pattern where the role of function largely depended on your caste and the government should discourage this by making way for FDI creating new jobs in the country.
DICCI chairman Milind Kamble said that there was immense potential in Uttar Pradesh since it is an agriculture-based state and supplies food grains to all parts of the country. There are enough opportunities for agro-based and food-processing industries here and DICCI would help its members to avail government support and assist them through our venture capital fund. Mr Kamble said it is a misconception that dalits are given undue favours and grants by the government.
“Most of the dalits who have risen to the top have actually not taken help of any government scheme. If you check the records, only a small part is disbursed to the SC/ST members, rest is diverted to other state developmental schemes like roads, bridges, etc. on the pretext that these are also to be used by the scheduled castes. If the grant is for the welfare of a special community, it should be given to the right people,” he pointed out.
He disclosed that the amount of tax being paid by dalit entrepreneurs each year is far more than what the government gives in return for the uplift of the dalits. He said that dalit entrepreneurs were paying approximately `2,000 crore every year to the government as direct tax.