Shop till you drop!

Impossible in Calcutta? Not really.

The Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government is working on a proposal of a retail association ? which wants the city?s current retail fever to be harnessed to the hilt ? to allow malls, large format stores and on-street shops to carry on business 24x7.

?We are seriously looking at the proposal for a change in the Shops and Establishment Act, to enable malls, large stores and smaller shops to do round-the-clock business,? a senior labour department official said on Monday.

The idea has been mooted by Mumbai-based Retailers Association of India (a conglomerate of some of the most renowned retail brands in the country), which has pleaded with the government to change the ?draconian? regulation of store timings in the Act.

The association has urged that malls and large shops (with more than 1,000 sq ft of space) be allowed to function 24 hours, while shops with less than 1,000 sq ft be kept open from 5 am to 1 am.

The association has also written to the governments of five other states ? including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka ? for similar relaxations.

?Approval for 24x7 operation will go a long way in opening more retail ventures in Bengal,? Gibson G. Vedamani, chief executive officer of the association, told Metro over the phone from Mumbai.

Bengal?s contribution to the annual transaction of Rs 30,000 crore in the retail market across the country is around 15 per cent. Industry insiders believe the figure will multiply manifold once the government agrees to the relaxations.

According to the retailers? association, the possible benefits from such a move would include:

Increase in employment opportunities

Shopping convenience for those who work in office, as well as for BPO/ITES employees who work in shifts

Increase in consumption, resulting in economic growth

Increase in government revenue.

Vedamani said the system was in force in Singapore, regarded as the shopper?s paradise. ?In our country, some states allow shops to remain open round-the-clock during festivals. For example, in Maharashtra, shops are open 24x7 during Diwali, Christmas and New Year.?

The association?s letter to the state commerce and industries department stated that India was being seen as a goldmine for organised retailing. ?Malls and large shopping formats are performing well? introducing the Indian consumer to a shopping experience like never before.?

According to Vedamani, the response from the government has been ?very positive?. He is seeking an appointment with senior officials ?to take the discussion further?.