Govt puts on hold list of non-Swadeshi items for CAPF canteens

New Delhi, June 01: Hours after making it public, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday put on hold a list of non-swadeshi products not to be sold at Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) canteens, saying there were discrepancies and a fresh list would be released soon.

The MHA has asked the Central Police Welfare Board to put on hold its list, issued earlier in the day, barring 1,026 items of over 70 companies from selling in CPCs, a home ministry official said in a fresh order.

The fresh instructions come just hours after a government order said that over 1,000 products will not be sold at CAPF canteens anymore from Monday as they are not 'swadeshi' or are prepared from purely imported products.

The de-listed products, includes Nutella, Kinder Joy, Tic Tac, Horlicks Oats, Eureka Forbes, Tommy Hilfiger shirts and Adidas body sprays. Certain brands of microwave ovens and several other home appliances too won't be available from today.

Seven firms importing products including Skechers, Ferrero, Red Bull, Victorinox, Safilo (Polaroid, Carrera) have also been de-listed.

The Kendriya Police Kalyan Bhandars, the parent body that runs these canteens, has divided all products into three categories.

All products have been divided into three categories based on the information submitted by the firms -- Category 1 - Products Purely Made in India, Category 2 -Raw Materials Imported but Products Manufactured/Assembled in India, and Category 3 - Purely Imported Products.

Products placed under Category 1 and Category 2 will be allowed to be on KPKB inventory and for sale, through KPKB Bhandars while products falling under Category 3 will stand de-listed with effect from June 1 and their sale will not be allowed with effect from June 1.

Last month, Prime Minister Modi had pitched for the use of products manufactured in the country, saying every Indian has to become "vocal for their local".

Later, Home Minister Amit Shah had announced that all canteens of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) will sell only indigenous products from June 1 to 50 lakh family members of about 10 lakh personnel serving in CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles.