A seminar on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) organised by the Manav Adhikar Suraksha Manch here on Tuesday criticised the economic policy of the NDA Government at the Centre for its FDI policy.

The speakers at the meeting, presided over by Manch coordinator advocate Abani Kumar Gaya, said the Central Government’s priority on FDI and its encouragement for investment of money on PPP mode would ruin the country’s economy.

Gaya said application of FDI in the service sector in particular would force the domestic companies to shut down their businesses and the resultant situation would go beyond the control of the Government.

In the fields like education, sanitation, health, roads and parks, the foreign companies would hold their monopoly and reap profit at the cost of consumers, he said.

He said the BJP came to power by opposing the FDI policy of the UPA regime, but after assuming power the party is adhering to the same policy, which is quite unfortunate. He urged the public to oppose the move of the NDA Government.

Manch president Upendranath Mishra, who delivered an introductory address, and other speakers urged the BJP Government not to allow FDI in the service sectors like banking, insurance, industry and agriculture in the name of SEZ and PPP mode in the best interest of the country, or else the Government would have to pay heavy price in future.

Among others, CPI(Ml) New Democracy Central Committee member Bhala Chandra Sadangi, Santosh Kumar Das, Prof Ranganath Mishra and K Balakrushna Bihari also spoke at the seminar.