Government on Monday said e-commerce guidelines have brought in ‘greater clarity’ about the sector and they will provide a level-playing field to both online and offline stores.
“I am very enthused and encouraged by various write-ups in newspapers that the clarification indeed has brought in greater clarity and also probably checked predatory pricing and discount giving exercises,” Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman told reporters here. She said the market is free and the Government does not believe in interfering in it, adding that “somewhere we have to ensure Indian players and Indian market situation does not get unnecessarily skewed to distort any free trade practices.”
“The clarification which we have issued has only resulted in bringing in level-playing field (to) those in the brick and mortar bracket of the commerce. E-commerce h as been encouraged, but obviously it’s not going to restrict the consumer,” she said on the sidelines of a CII function.