CAPF canteens to sell only indigenous products from June 1

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of self-reliant India to boost the country's economy amid the Covid-19 crisis, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Wednesday that all CAPF canteens will now sell only indigenous products.

Shah said the instruction will be mandatorily applicable to all Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) canteens across the country from June 1. The total purchase from these canteens is estimated to amount to around Rs 2,800 crore.

With this move, the Home Minister said that around 50 lakh famiy members of about 10 lakh CAPF personnel will use indigenous products.

The Home Minister took to Twitter to announce the decision. The CAPF comes under the Ministry of Home Affairs and includes paramilitary forces such as BSF, CRPF, ITBP, CISF, SSB, NSG and Assam Rifles.

The Home Minister also appealed to the people to make maximum use of country made products and encourage others to do the same.

"Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an appeal to make the country self-reliant and use local products (products made in India), which will surely pave the way for India to lead the world in the coming times," Shah said in a series of tweets.

In this direction on Wednesday, the Home Minister said, "The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided that all the CAPF canteens will now sell 'only indigenous products at the canteens and stores'.

Shah said this is not the time to stay behind but to turn disaster into opportunity. "If every Indian pledges to use products made in India (Swadeshi), the democracy of the country can become self-sufficient in five years.

Let us all strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this journey of self-reliant India using indigenous products," he tweeted.

Shah's announcement came a day after the Prime Minister in his address to the nation appealed to the people to make India self-reliant by keeping manufacturing, markets and supply chains local.