This document is the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette, issued on Wednesday, February 15, 2017. It includes a Tamil translation of a Government of India notification, G.S.R. 929(E), from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs), dated September 29, 2016, New Delhi.
The notification pertains to the removal of licensing requirements, stock limits, and movement restrictions on certain food commodities under the Essential Commodities Act of 1955.
Key points include:
* The order is called the "2016 Some Specified Food Articles (Requirements for License, Limit on Stockholding and Restrictions on Movement) Removal Order."
* It came into effect on October 1, 2016.
* The term "trader" includes wholesalers, retailers, manufacturers, producers, importers, exporters engaged in activities related to specific commodities, but excludes sugar manufacturers, producers, importers, or exporters.
The order allows traders to freely buy, stock, sell, transport, distribute, process, obtain, use, or consume any quantity of wheat, wheat products (maida, rava, suji, atta, composite atta, and bran), paddy, rice, coarse grains, sugar, jaggery, edible oilseeds, edible oils, pulses, hydrogenated vegetable oils or vanaspati, onions and potatoes without requiring a license or permission, unless specifically covered under the Act.
However, restrictions apply to:
* Pulses until September 30, 2017.
* Sugar until November 21, 2016, for Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry, and until October 28, 2016, for other states and union territories.
* Edible oils and edible oilseeds until September 30, 2017, for calculation of stock limits under the Act in specific cases related to exporters with an Importer-Exporter Code, multi-brand retail outlets, licensed food processors, and importers.
The order does not affect the movement, distribution, or processing of sugar, edible oils, and edible oilseeds outside the state.
The State Government may, with the prior approval of the Central Government, issue orders for regulating the stocking, transport, distribution, processing, obtaining, use, or consumption of items specified in Part 3 through licenses, permits, or other means. However, the order does not affect the operation of the Public Distribution System (Control) Order of 2001 or any related state government orders, or orders issued by the state government to levy taxes on rice mill owners or traders for the purpose of purchasing rice for milling based on the powers granted by the Central Government under Section 3 of the Act.
The document is signed by P.V. Rama Sastry, Joint Secretary, and re-published by Pradeep Yadav, Government Principal Secretary, under the order of the Governor. N. Arul, Director, Tamil Development and News (Translation Department) also signs.
Key Entities Referenced
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: Central act granting powers over essential commodities.
G.S.R. 929(E): Notification published in the Gazette of India, which removes licensing requirements, stock limits, and movement restrictions for certain food items.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution: Union ministry responsible for consumer affairs, food, and public distribution.
Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs Order, 2016: Order removing restrictions on specified food commodities. Governed by the Essential Commodities Act, 1955
Tamil Nadu: Location where this policy is applicable.