Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah bats for FDI in retail

Karnataka Chief Minister K. Siddaramaiah on Thursday backed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail sector, and said that his government had no objection for the investment.

He said that he has written a letter to the Commerce Ministry stating that the Government of Karnataka has no objection for Foreign Direct Investment in the retail sector.

"I don't think there will be any problem regarding the FDI coming to Indian retail sector," he added.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram earlier on Tuesday said India will lift FDI caps in some sectors by the third week of July

He said a Finance Ministry panel has already submitted a report on revising FDI caps in different sectors, and the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion is in talks with stakeholders.

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah talking about the rescue operations in flood-ravaged Uttarakhand claimed that around 950 victims belonging to Karnataka have been rescued.

He said that only 250 stranded victims were yet to be rescued.

Siddaramaiah said that officers from Karnataka had camped in Uttarakhand and were participating in the relief operations.

"Ten officers have gone there; we have sent them. Doctors are there. One minister, Santosh Larh, is camping there since a week and he is staying there in Badrinath," he said.

In Uttarakhand, around 1500 people were evacuated from Harsil, Badrinath and Pithoragarh today.

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar informed the media in Dehradun that all stranded people in Harsil have been evacuated.

"Only in Badrinath 2500 pilgrims and locals are stranded and they will also be evacuated within 3 to 4 days," he said.

He said that reports have been received that 3000 people are still missing and the government is trying to locate them on the basis of their location of last mobile call.

"Call details of missing persons' mobile phone numbers are being sought from service providers," he said.