-PTI   Strongly protesting the decision to open up the retail sector to FDI, Left parties on Friday termed the move as “unprecedented” and said the government should have discussed it first in Parliament before taking the decision. “It is unprecedented. When Parliament is in session, a major decision was taken outside Parliament. It has never happened,” CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters outside Parliament House. “We will not discuss the FDI issue in...

-The Times of India   After debating the issue for over a decade, the government on Thursday threw open the multi-brand retail segment to foreign chains such as Wal-Mart, Carrefour and others in a move to attract overseas investment and dispel doubts about the coalition's ability to push through big-bang reforms.  After nearly two hours of discussion on Thursday evening, the Union Cabinet decided to allow foreign retailers to hold 51% stake in...

-CNN-IBN As the Cabinet meets to decide on allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the multi-brand retail, it remains to be seen whether the Prime Minister will bite the bullet. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Left, UPA ally Trinamool Congress along with some Cabinet ministers Veerappa Moily and Mukul Wasnik have opposed it. While the BJP feels that FDI will lead to unemployment, the Left has said that it may lead...

FDI in single-brand retail raised from 51 to 100%   In a bid to remove the impression that UPA-II is suffering from a “decision making paralysis” and kicking off the second generation reforms, the Union Cabinet on Thursday gave its approval for 51 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail and 100 per cent FDI in single-brand retail. The decision is likely to clear the decks for the entry of foreign...

-The Indian Express While the BJP and the Left have been objecting to allowing FDI in retail, ally DMK’s stand could spell trouble for the government. However, there’s some relief in sight with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee hinting that she is open to discussions on the issue. A few hours before the Union Cabinet cleared FDI in retail, Banerjee indicated that her party was open to discussions on the matter, without...