Direct Trade Regulation in the Offing

June 15: The government is preparing to formalise the direct trading of goods and services. Ministry of Commerce informs that a draft bill on direct sale of goods and services (administration and regulation act) has been prepared and sent to Law Ministry. According to Commerce Ministry, it has prepared the draft two months ago in order to manage and regulate informal sales and distribution of goods and services. “The draft bill is in Law Ministry presently,” says Ramji Danai, Vice-Secretary of Commerce Ministry. He adds “The bill will be submitted in Parliament after Law Ministry made required improvement.”

In recent years, trends of direct sale and services such as direct sale of produced goods and digital trading has increased. The concerned parties need to get government license for direct sales of goods and services. Though, such trade are being conducted unofficially at present. “The act will administer and regulate these types of direct trading,” says Danai.

The draft bill submitted in Law Ministry has provisions of mandatory licensing, banning of unproven and misleading advertisement, maintenance of quality of sold goods, prevention of force labour sales and formal appointments of workforce.