Ministry of Home Affairs had withdrawn the earlier order of de-listing products from the paramilitary canteens in India which was issued on May 29, according to reports.

This withdrawal of its order brings a big relief for FMCG and consumer product brands selling their products in these canteens.

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The Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar (KPKB), the parent organisation which runs these canteens had asked many companies some information. They were asked to submit some details like where their products are manufactured, whether they use imported raw material or Indian etc.

A revised order with updated list of products and brands to be de-listed from the inventories and sale of the paramilitary canteens will be released soon.

The paramilitary canteens all over India were supposed to sell ‘swadesi’ products from June 1, in the Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar (KPKB) canteens.

As the Centre had announced on May 13 that all the paramilitary canteens in India will sell only “Made in India” products from June 1, with the emphasis on being ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ (Self reliant India), over 1,000 products were de-listed. They would not have been available at these canteens, across the country from today onwards.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had announced last month that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) like the CRPF and the BSF will sell only indigenous products from June 1 to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel, in order to implement PM Modi’s “vocal for local” call in his fifth address to the nation during Coronavirus lockdown, while announcing a mega economic package to tackle the economic impact of coronavirus, in May.

According to media reports, among the foreign brands whose products were de-listed and would not be sold at the paramilitary canteens are Kinder Joy, Tic Tac, Adidas body sprays, Horlicks Oats, Eureka Forbes, Nutella,  Horlicks, HUL Magnum chocolate ice cream, Loreal Maybelline Kajal, Tommy Hilfiger, several brands of home appliances too have been de-listed from the canteens.

The KPKB, has divided all items available for sale into three sections- first category will comprise products purely ‘made in India’. Second category will include products manufactured in India but made from foreign raw materials. While, the third section includes “purely imported products”.

The Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar had asked many companies some information, those who didn’t answered the queries too would have been stopped from selling their goods in these canteens.

According to the Home Ministry’s official communication, based on the information submitted by the firms these categories have been made and the products from first and second categories will be allowed to sell, while the products falling in the third category won’t be available for sale from June 1 onwards.

The paramilitary canteens consisting of all the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles put together sell products worth about Rs 2,800 crore annually.