Bengaluru, July 31 (KNN) Apex industry body ASSOCHAM has urged the Government of Karnataka for speedy adoption and subsequent implementation of Centre’s draft guidelines as final norms for direct-selling business as that would push industry's growth and spur skill development, innovation and job creation within the state.

Vijay Sardana, chairman of ASSOCHAM Task Force on Direct Selling, while speaking at a Regional Conference on 'Promoting Direct Selling for Developing Entrepreneurship and Job Creation,’ said “If the Government ensures speedy implementation of the guidelines, it will result in creating over 10 million entrepreneurs by 2020.”

The Model Framework for Guidelines on Direct Selling were issued by the Union Consumer Affairs Ministry in September 2016.

The notification of these guidelines was a significant milestone towards clarifying the Government’s stance on direct selling industry and regularise the same. While seven states – Chhattisgarh, Sikkim, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal - have adopted the Centre’s guidelines, other states like Karnataka are expected to soon follow suit.

The conference aimed at highlighting the socio-economic benefits of direct selling industry provided a common platform for key stakeholders to exchange views and identify the roadmap to fast track the implementation of Centre's guidelines in Karnataka.

In his address at the conference, Zaheer K Merchant, Director - Corporate Affairs, QI Group and also a member of the Direct Selling Association of Singapore added that as per the data issued by the World Federation of Direct Selling Associations (WFDSA) the global direct selling industry reported revenue of USD 189.6 billion (bn) for 2017 with approximately 117 million (mn) sales distributors involved world-wide out of which 74 per cent were women. While India contributed US$1.5 bn, the industry provided self-employment opportunity to 5.1 mn people in the country.

Earlier, Dr O.V. Nandimath, Register & Law Professor, National Law School of India University (NLSIU) in his address said that direct selling is one of the entrepreneur opportunity which can help India in fulfilling its dream initiatives on self-employment.