AURANGABAD: The state government on Monday issued a notification revoking ban on the sale of loose edible oil. The government said that the lack of infrastructure required for packing edible oil is not in place and it will take another year for doing so.
The ban had forced the oil industry to hike the prices as they had to spend money on packing edible oil.
Besides, people from the weaker sections of society were also forced to purchase oil packs of 500 grams as oil with smaller packing was not available.
In August 2011, the state government had imposed a ban on the sale of oil in loose form as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (prohibition and restriction on sales) Regulations, 2011. According to the regulation, no person was allowed to sell or expose for sale, distribute, offer for sale, dispatch or deliver to any person edible oil in loose form.
Following the directions, the Food and Drug Administration officials had started penalizing shop owners and firms between Rs 25,000 and Rs 1 lakh for violating the orders.
In its notification on Monday, a copy of which is with TOI, the government stated that the decision to revoke the ban has been taken in 'public interest'. It stated that the food business operators do not have the necessary infrastructure for packaging edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams. It also stated that the tin plates required for packing edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams capacity are not available in sufficient quantity. It will take at least a year for making available such provisions, the notification stated.
Highly placed sources at the secretariat said that since the ban came into place, the prices of edible oil kept on increasing as the manufacturers were charging packing cost on the final product, which directly percolated to the common man. Thereafter, the government was under constant pressure to take measures to control the rising prices.
After failing to do so, the government finally decided to revoke the ban, sources said.
The notification also states that most of the people in the state are farm workers and small and marginal farmers. Besides, many people in urban areas of the state reside in slums and are mostly labourers and workers, it stated.
The ban had forced the oil industry to hike the prices as they had to spend money on packing edible oil.
Besides, people from the weaker sections of society were also forced to purchase oil packs of 500 grams as oil with smaller packing was not available.
In August 2011, the state government had imposed a ban on the sale of oil in loose form as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards (prohibition and restriction on sales) Regulations, 2011. According to the regulation, no person was allowed to sell or expose for sale, distribute, offer for sale, dispatch or deliver to any person edible oil in loose form.
Following the directions, the Food and Drug Administration officials had started penalizing shop owners and firms between Rs 25,000 and Rs 1 lakh for violating the orders.
In its notification on Monday, a copy of which is with TOI, the government stated that the decision to revoke the ban has been taken in 'public interest'. It stated that the food business operators do not have the necessary infrastructure for packaging edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams. It also stated that the tin plates required for packing edible oil in 100, 200 and 300 grams capacity are not available in sufficient quantity. It will take at least a year for making available such provisions, the notification stated.
Highly placed sources at the secretariat said that since the ban came into place, the prices of edible oil kept on increasing as the manufacturers were charging packing cost on the final product, which directly percolated to the common man. Thereafter, the government was under constant pressure to take measures to control the rising prices.
After failing to do so, the government finally decided to revoke the ban, sources said.
The notification also states that most of the people in the state are farm workers and small and marginal farmers. Besides, many people in urban areas of the state reside in slums and are mostly labourers and workers, it stated.
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