List of non-‘swadeshi’ items for sale from CAPF canteens withdrawn

New Delhi: The government Monday withdrew over 1,000 non- ‘swadeshi’ products to be banned from sale at Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) canteens. This decision was taken barely a couple of hours after it was circulated as several items in it were made in India.

Union Home Ministry officials said that action is being initiated for the ‘lapse’. They also informed that there were discrepancies in the list issued by the Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar (central police welfare stores). A new list of products would be issued after due diligence.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which manages the board of the CAPF canteens, said the list was issued ‘erroneously”.

“This is clarified the list issued by Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar regarding de-listing of certain products has been erroneously issued. This error has occurred at the level of CEO. The list has been withdrawn and action is being initiated for the lapse. A new list would be announced,” a statement issued by the CRPF said.

The CRPF chief is the chairman of the welfare and rehabilitation board that looks after the network of canteens.

Earlier in the day, the Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandar circulated an order. It named 1,026 products manufactured by firms such as Bajaj, Dabur, VIP industries, Eureka Forbes, Jaquar and HUL (foods). The order said that these products will not be sold at CAPF canteens anymore. The products are not ‘swadeshi’.

However, the list of banned items included many made in India products and was hence put on hold, officials said.

The now junked list included multiple flavours of Dabur fruit juices. It also had over 30 products each from Bajaj Electricals and LG. The list also contained strolley variants of luggage maker VIP and items from the Timex group.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah had declared May 13 that the nationwide network of over 1,700 Central Police Canteens (CPCs) or CAPF canteens will only sell indigenous or ‘swadeshi’ products from June 1 in a bid to give a fillip to domestic industries. The move followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation when he called for people to go ‘local ke liye vocal’ (to promote local goods).

A Home Ministry statement had said 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will only use indigenous products. The CAPFs comprise the CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB. The canteens do business worth an estimated Rs 2,800 crore annually.

PTI