After Manmohan govt bends on FDI, Wal-Mart lobbies in US for it to crawl
4 Feb 2013 7:44 AM IST
Amid a probe being initiated into US-based supermarket chain operator Wal-Mart Stores lobbying with regard to its India entry, the global retail giant has continued to lobby with American Congressmen on this issue, as also others, and spent a total amount of $6.13 million on the same during 2012. As per the latest Congressional records of lobbying disclosure reports, the US-based Wal-Mart Stores spent a total amount of $1.48 million (about Rs 8 crore) on lobbying for various issues, including on 'discussions related to foreign direct investment (FDI) in India', during the last quarter ended December 31, 2012.
This has taken the total lobbying bill of the company for the entire 2012 to $6.13 million (about Rs 33 crore), the lobbying disclosure records available with the American Senate show.
Wal-Mart has been lobbying with the American Senators and Representatives on dozens of issues every quarter, whose disclosures it is mandatorily required to make under American regulations. Recently, the Indian government initiated a probe into the lobbying activities by Wal-Mart in the US for gaining access to the country's market, after disclosures about these activities caused a furore and a political debate in India.
The company has, however, maintained that these disclosures have nothing to do with political or government contacts with Indian government officials and that they only show that Wal-Mart's business interests in India were discussed with US government officials along with many more other topics.
Wal-Mart has been waiting for years to open its supermarkets in India and has been lobbying with US lawmakers since at least 2008 to facilitate its entry into the highly lucrative Indian market. Its total bill on these activities has now crossed $34 million (about Rs 180 crore) since 2008, which has been incurred on account of lobbying for more than 50 issues every quarter, including issues related to 'enhanced market access for investment in India'.
However, the amount spent by Wal-Mart in the last quarter was lower than the $1.65 million incurred in the previous three-month period ended September 30, 2012, when too one of its lobbying issues was 'discussions related to foreign direct investment in India'. Its annual lobbying bill also fell to $6.13 million in 2012 from $7.84 million in 2011. Prior to that, it had spent $6.16 million in 2010, $7.39 million in 2009 and $6.59 million in 2008.
Wal-Mart has lobbied for its various business interests with the US Senate and House of Representatives, United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of State, among other organisations and departments. In the United States companies are allowed to lobby for their cases in various departments and agencies. But they are also required to file their lobbying disclosure reports every quarter with the Senate.
According to Wal-Mart's lobbying disclosure reports, the company has continuously lobbied for its India entry since 2008, except for a few quarters in 2009.
The Indian government recently opened up its multi-brand retail sector to foreign companies — after years of political opposition — and a Parliament motion against this decision was defeated in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
This has taken the total lobbying bill of the company for the entire 2012 to $6.13 million (about Rs 33 crore), the lobbying disclosure records available with the American Senate show.
Wal-Mart has been lobbying with the American Senators and Representatives on dozens of issues every quarter, whose disclosures it is mandatorily required to make under American regulations. Recently, the Indian government initiated a probe into the lobbying activities by Wal-Mart in the US for gaining access to the country's market, after disclosures about these activities caused a furore and a political debate in India.
The company has, however, maintained that these disclosures have nothing to do with political or government contacts with Indian government officials and that they only show that Wal-Mart's business interests in India were discussed with US government officials along with many more other topics.
Wal-Mart has been waiting for years to open its supermarkets in India and has been lobbying with US lawmakers since at least 2008 to facilitate its entry into the highly lucrative Indian market. Its total bill on these activities has now crossed $34 million (about Rs 180 crore) since 2008, which has been incurred on account of lobbying for more than 50 issues every quarter, including issues related to 'enhanced market access for investment in India'.
However, the amount spent by Wal-Mart in the last quarter was lower than the $1.65 million incurred in the previous three-month period ended September 30, 2012, when too one of its lobbying issues was 'discussions related to foreign direct investment in India'. Its annual lobbying bill also fell to $6.13 million in 2012 from $7.84 million in 2011. Prior to that, it had spent $6.16 million in 2010, $7.39 million in 2009 and $6.59 million in 2008.
Wal-Mart has lobbied for its various business interests with the US Senate and House of Representatives, United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Department of State, among other organisations and departments. In the United States companies are allowed to lobby for their cases in various departments and agencies. But they are also required to file their lobbying disclosure reports every quarter with the Senate.
According to Wal-Mart's lobbying disclosure reports, the company has continuously lobbied for its India entry since 2008, except for a few quarters in 2009.
The Indian government recently opened up its multi-brand retail sector to foreign companies — after years of political opposition — and a Parliament motion against this decision was defeated in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
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