E-commerce policy framework in six months: Teaotia

NEW DELHI: Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia on Tuesday said the government intends to bring out an e-commerce policy framework in next six months, paving way to bringing the booming sector under a policy umbrella.Teaotia said the government has decided to constitute a taskforce, which will cross-examine the details of the inputs they have received during the first meeting of thinktanks on the framework for  the National Policy on E-Commerce.

The task force will come out with a set of recommendations that would be brought before the thinktank in five months, and it will give its report in six months. The Commerce Secretary said that a policy is important in view of issues such taxation, infrastructure, investments, technology transfer, data protection, regulations and competition being faced by the domestic industry. She also said that a detailed national policy on the sector would help India in articulating its stand on e-commerce at the World Trade Organisation.

India is participating in the ongoing technical negotiations on the issues in the WTO, but the subject is not on the formal negotiating table as the sector is at a nascent stage in India.Teaotia, however, did not confirm whether a regulatory body will be set up to look after the sector. “Based on the recommendation of the thinktank, we would decide the way forward,” she said.

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, who was attending the deliberation, said that more than the regulator, a policy is needed, and then there can be enforcement using any other agency. He said that in the meeting, it was discussed that the Enforcement Directorate might look after the enforcement work.