Commerce and industry ministry drafting new e-commerce policy to boost online retail sector: DIPP secretary

New Delhi: The commerce and industry ministry is drafting a new e-commerce policy to boost the fast-growing online retail sector, a government official said Thursday. “We are in the process of drafting the new e-commerce policy,” Secretary in the department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) Ramesh Abhishek told reporters in New Delhi. The government has also set up a group of secretaries to look into the issues of the sector. [caption id=“attachment_3867837” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational Image. Thinkstock.[/caption] The exercise started after concerns were raised on some proposals of the draft e-commerce policy, which was prepared by the department of commerce after consultations with several stakeholders, including industry chambers. That draft policy had suggested several steps to promote the growth of the sector. It had stated that online retail firms may have to store user data exclusively in India in view of security and privacy concerns. It had also said that any group company of an online retailer or marketplace may not be allowed to directly or indirectly influence the price or sale of products and services on its platform, a move that could completely restrict e-tailers from giving deep discounts. The draft had suggested to introduce a pre-set timeframe for offering differential pricing or deep discounts by e-commerce players to customers. Traders body Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) has time and again raised concerns over heavy discounts being provided by certain online retailers. Framing of a new policy also assumes significance as rich member nations of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are pushing to frame global norms for e-commerce.