2006年VOA标准英语-India's Reliance Industries Announces Massive I

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
02 July 2006

 
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani addresses a press conference in Chandigarh, India
  
India's biggest conglomerate¹ plans a massive investment in the country's fast-growing  retail² sector³. International investors⁴ are also looking for an opening into the Indian market.

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Reliance Industries' $5.6 billion investment will be used to open stores in 1,500 towns and cities. The network of supermarkets, hypermarkets and neighborhood convenience stores will sell everything from food and clothes to consumer durables⁵.

The company says its will hire half a million people to staff the stores in the coming years. The first shops are expected to open by the end of the year.

The company says it wants to propel a retail revolution in a country where "mom-and-pop" stores dominate the shopping landscape. Modern retail operations, selling branded goods through department stores, account for a mere⁶ three percent of the $30 billion market.

Both domestic and overseas companies want to explore the potential created by the country's soaring economic growth and the purchasing power of an affluent⁷ middle class.

Raman Mangalorkar, with management consulting firm A.T. Kearney, says a recent survey revealed that India is at the peak of its attractiveness for retailers⁸.

"We actually have rated India as the most attractive market," he said.  "this is the second year in a row we have rated India as the number one retail market in the world."

Overseas retailers do not have a presence in India because the government blocks most foreign investment in the sector. Brands such as Adidas and Marks and Spencer sell through franchisees⁹, instead of their own shops.

But there is a move to slowly open up the sector. Earlier this year, the government began allowing retailers selling single brands such as Nike to own up to 51 percent of a store or chain. Business experts say that more restrictions¹⁰ on foreign investment will likely be relaxed in the coming year.

Mangalorkar says giant global retailers such as the American company Wal-Mart are eying the Indian market.

"There is a lot of interest in most of the major international players, they are pacing on the sidelines, building their strategic plans, and getting ready to enter as soon as the opportunity opens up," he added.

Market watchers say Reliance Industries has timed its investment to get a head start in the sector while protectionist rules keep out international companies.

For the time being, political opposition¹¹ is holding back liberalizations, because communist parties fear that large foreign companies could force 12 million small shops out of business, leaving 40 million people without jobs.

1 conglomerate   

n.综合商社，多元化集团公司

参考例句：

• The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。
• An American conglomerate holds a major share in the company.一家美国的大联合企业持有该公司的大部分股份。

2 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

3 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

4 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

5 durables   

n.持久的，耐用的( durable的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Running at 50-year lows below trend. Move from durables to services consumption could be big. 在低于趋势线的50年最低水平下，从耐用品消费到服务消费的转变可能很大。 来自互联网
• The table below shows the consumer durables owned in Britain from 1972 to 1983. 该图表展现的是1972-1983十一年间英国耐久消费品的拥有量。 来自互联网

6 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

7 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

8 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

9 franchisees   

n.特许经营人( franchisee的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Works on these franchisees' facilities were moving ahead rapidly. 这些专营设施的工程正迅速推展。 来自互联网
• Another good source of information about a franchise is other franchisees. 另一个了解特许经营的可靠信息源是其他经营者。 来自互联网

10 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

11 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。