This is a summary of the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette regarding regulations for essential commodities.
**Key Points:**
* **Purpose:** The Gazette publishes a notification (G.S.R. 929(E)) from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (Department of Consumer Affairs), Government of India, dated September 29, 2016, regarding the removal of licensing requirements, stock limits, and movement restrictions on certain food commodities.
* **Effective Date:** The order came into effect on October 1, 2016.
* **Commodities Affected:** Wheat, wheat products (maida, rava, suji, atta, mixed atta, and bran), paddy, rice, coarse grains, sugar, jaggery, edible oil seeds, edible oils, pulses, hydrogenated vegetable oils/vanaspati, onions, and potatoes.
* **Exemptions and Conditions:**
* The removal of restrictions doesn't apply to pulses beyond September 30, 2017.
* For sugar, the restrictions remained in place until November 21, 2016, in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, and until October 28, 2016, in other states and union territories.
* For edible oils and oilseeds, stock limits are considered for the purposes of calculating stock limits under the Act up to 30.09.2017, with specific provisions for exporters, large retailers/department stores, licensed food processors (for raw materials), and importers. Importers may be required to declare the amount of imported stock by central or state governments.
* **Movement of Goods:** The removal of restrictions does not affect restrictions on moving, distributing, or standardizing sugar, edible oils and oilseeds outside the state.
* **Powers of State Government:** The state government requires prior approval from the central government to issue any orders regulating the storage, movement, distribution, standardization, acquisition, utilization, or consumption of the commodities listed in Part 3 through licenses, permits, or other means.
* **Impact:** This order does not affect the implementation of the Public Distribution System (Control) Order of 2001 or any related state government orders, and orders issued by the state governments to levy taxes under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act 1955 for rice procurement.
**Published by:**
P.V. Rama Sastri, Joint Secretary.
Pradeep Yadav, Principal Government Secretary.
N. Arul, Director, Tamil Development and News (Translation) Department.
Key Entities Referenced
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: Central legislation providing the legal framework for the control of production, supply, and distribution of essential commodities.
G.S.R. 929(E): A notification issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution that removes licensing requirements, stock limits, and movement restrictions on certain food items.
Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution: The central government ministry responsible for consumer affairs, food supply, and public distribution in India.
Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions Order, 2016: An order pertaining to lifting restrictions on certain food commodities in 2016
Tamil Nadu: The state where the translated notification is being issued, indicating its applicability within the state's jurisdiction.