Srinagar: The milk processing plant owners in the Kashmir Valley are angry over the government order of fixing rates of processed and packed milk, arguing that the rates are fixed as per a notification of 1990 which is defunct.
Citing Notification No. DFCS&CAK/S/MILK Pouch/2017/595-610 Dated 01.03.2017 issued by director Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Kashmir (enclosed for your ready reference at annexure (3), the owners said that under this notification the Director Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Kashmir is fixing the rate of Processed and Packed Milk @ 36/ Ltr.
Shafat Ahmad Shah, President Milk Processors Association Kashmir said. He said they fail to understand why rates are still being fixed under SO 145 (E) Dated 15.02.1990 which is a defunct notification.
We would request the department to consider laws, regulations, rules and notifications which have been issued after 1992 when the economy in India was opened up red tape loosen and market set free to work under its own dynamics, Shah said.
Shah said that the Director Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Jammu as of our information has not fixed any rate for Processed & Packed Milk & Milk Products. With the result the milk processors of Jammu are free to sell processed milk & Milk Products based on open market economy wherein the demand and supply of Milk in open market determines the prices off. With the result as per our information the milk and milk products sold in Jammu are far higher rates which are Rs. 42/Ltr. for Toned Milk.
Arguing that the processing of milk in a well scientific establish and state of the art milk processing units is a different ball game all together, they demanded rollback of the circular which was published in dailies of the Valley.
“The business is much more professional and sophisticated then in compared to loose milk selling. We have hundreds of input items over the cost of which neither we nor your ministry has any control on take for example,” he said.
Kashmir businessman and trade union leader, Muhammad Yasin Khan said that such orders are issued in the Valley to crush business and industries here to cripple economy of the region.
Minister for Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Choudhary Zulfikar said that the government is not against the industrialists and businessmen of the state or Kashmir valley.
The businessmen must follow the rules and regulations of the state. The milk processing plant should withdraw the rates fixed by them without consulting the government, he said.
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