INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Nearly 2 crore shopkeepers across the country will lose more than 75% of their business amounting to about 15 lakh crore per year because of
a recent notification of the central government.These traders who are already suffering from a huge setback due to Covid-19 pandemic have
been forced to face this economic pandemic
The CAIT has sent a letter to Union Health Minister Harshvardhan and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal demanding the withdrawal of FSSAI rules
and regulations.The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) said that the Food Safety and Standards Authority ( FSSAI), on September 4
The notification stated that food products high in saturated fat or trans-fat or added sugar or sodium will not be allowed for sale within
fifty meters from the school campus in any direction.The CAIT strongly opposed the regulation and termed it barbaric.CAIT National President
BC Bhartia - Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that it would affect about 2 crore small shops/vendors across the country which
includes mostly neighbourhood shops like General Stores, Pan Shops, Kirana shops, and other tiny shops which keep all kind of FMCG items to
meet the need of neighbourhood consumers
It would include food and beverages, other groceries, personal and home care items
The demography of every city in the country is such that there will be no space where shops do not exist within 50 meters in any direction
As per the rules nobody will be allowed to sell any product that contains sugar, salt, or aerated water.Bhartia and Khandelwal said that
these neighbourhood shops were instrumental in playing the most crucial role during the lockdown in providing daily needs requirements of
Not allowing these shops to keep the food and beverage products is bound to impact the sale of other items and losing the customer base.More
importantly, it will reduce the footfall if shopkeepers are not able to provide a full range of products
Such a regulation dampens the very spirit of ease of doing business specifically for small business owners and traders
They further said that this restriction will deprive the consumer base who make purchases for their daily needs.The CAIT has demanded the
government to withdraw these non- practical rules and regulations which infringe the fundamental right of a person to conduct business
The government due to prevailing circumstances is not able to provide employment whereas the FSSAI is adamant to deprive people of their
existing businesses."In cities and big towns, both businesses and such educational institutions have come up and co-existed for a long time
FSSAI bans sale and advertising of junk food in and around 50 metres of school premises
