Government will carry through FEMA notification on FDI in retail in Parliament, says Kamal Nath

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr. Kamal Nath has expressed confidence that the Government will be able to carry through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notification dealing with the FDI in retail in both Houses of Parliament. He said he is confident of his numbers and has good reason to believe that the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party will vote with the UPA Government as they are responsible parties and understand the politics of it. The Minister said, he is in talks with everybody, including political parties on the issue. He denied that the Government is trying to manipulate the numbers.

Speaking at a TV programme, Mr. Nath said that the FEMA notification has to be passed by only one House, belying the Opposition stand that the decision can not be implemented, if it falls in the Rajya Sabha. CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yachuri had said had earlier said that as per the rules, FEMA notification on allowing 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail has to be laid and passed in both the Houses of Parliament and failure to do so would be challenged in court. 

Mr. Nath, however, accepted that FEMA notification which can be passed in the Budget session as well as the Government has 30 working days of Parliament to get the nod - may drag into the next session, which is three months away.