Telangana government has exempted the retailers to remain open 365 days

HYDERABAD: In a move that would benefit the retail sector, the Telangana government has exempted the retailers from weekly closure as mandated by the Shops and Establishments Act, subject to certain conditions.

Welcoming the move, the Retailers Association of India's (RAI) chief executive officer Kumar Rajagopalan said it would "not only be beneficial for retailers to achieve their true potential but will also offer consumers the luxury of 365 days of shopping. In addition, this decision will also help the state economy by creating more employment in the sector."

RAI, the nodal agency for modern retail in India, said the Telangana government has directed the retailers to ensure that no employee works for more than 9 hours a day and 48 hours a week, while stipulating few other conditions aimed at protecting the interests of employees.

In a statement, RAI said it was in regular dialogue with the Telangana government, met the chief minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and had a series of meetings with the industries department on allowing the retailers keep shops and establishments open throughout the year in the interest of all stakeholders including businesses and consumers.

"This means that brick-and-mortar retail establishments in the state can now keep their stores open 365 days a year, provided they comply with the statutory requirements laid down by the government. The requirements include giving employees a weekly off and restricting work hours to 9 hours a day and no more than 48 hours a week."

Read more at:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/47806196.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst