Central Police canteens to sell only swadshi products; Home Min backs PM Modi's local push

Taking a major decision on Wednesday, Home Minister Amit Shah announced that all the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will now sell only indigenous products. He said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken the decision in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal to use local products. The decision will be applicable to all CAPF canteens across the country and will be implemented from June 1. 

Reiterating PM Modi's message on a self-reliant India, he said that the use of products made in India will pave a way for the country to lead the world in the future. In his address on Tuesday evening, the Prime Minister had urged the citizens to use local products and to be 'vocal' about it so that it becomes 'global.'  "If every Indian pledge to use products made in India (Swadeshi), the democracy of the country can become self-sufficient in five years," the Home Minister added.

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'Vocal for local'

Addressing the nation on Tuesday evening, PM Modi appealed to citizens to be 'vocal for local' in an attempt to boost Indian businesses. He said, "Street vendors, domestic workers, labourers have faced a lot of troubles. They have sacrificed a lot. It is our duty to take steps to secure their financial interests. Locals have fulfilled the demand arising out of the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown. They have saved us from the crisis. Time has taught us this."

The Prime Minister highlighted that brands that are global today, were once just local. "From today, all citizen needs to be vocal for local. Not just buy local products but also campaign for them," the Prime Minister appealed to the citizens. 

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PM Modi's announcement

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a financial package with an aim to make India self-reliant (Aatmanirbhar). According to him, the earlier decisions of the Centre along with the new package totals to Rs.20 lakh crore- i.e 10% of India's GDP.  The details of the package shall be announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday, May 13 at 4 PM. The PM mentioned that this would benefit the workers, hawkers, street vendors, farmers, the business class, etc. He added that special emphasis has been paid to land, labour, liquidity and laws. PM Modi also said that a self-reliant India should be vocal about local so that it can be global. About lockdown extension, he said that citizens will be informed about the new guidelines of Lockdown 4.0 before May 18.

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