E-tailers not making much progress in India: Adi Godrej

Adi, chairman of The Godrej Group, smiles during the India Economic Summit 2014 at the World Economic Forum in New Delhi

E-tailers and modern retail have not made much progress in India, says veteran industrialist Adi B Godrej, who finds 'Kirana' merchants to be efficient, particularly in the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) space.

"They (e-tailers in India) are not making much progress, even modern retail in India is not making much progress," the Chairman of the Godrej Group told PTI, while talking about the scene in this space.

In FMCG space, over 90 per cent of the sales comes from 'Kirana' merchants, who are very efficient, added the former President of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

"I think it (e-tailing) has not done very well in India, especially fast moving consumer goods. It may have done well in things like clothing and all that," he said.

He rejected suggestions in some quarters that India's growth in general is largely job-less. "That's not correct at all. We are creating lot of jobs, especially in the unorganised sector," Godrej said.

On the recent Supreme Court order banning sale and consumption of alcohol within a 500 metres distance of national and state highways, he said it's not a good ruling because many of these highways are in the cities.

"Supreme Court ruling didn't say only liquor shops; it said any place serving liquor, even hotels and restaurants. How can you do it in cities ? It (the SC order) needs modification. I can understand it (the liquor ban) in 'mofussil' highways but it shouldn't be inside cities," he said.