Paramilitary canteens to sell only Swadeshi items from June 1

New Delhi: Only "Made in India" products will be sold in paramilitary canteens from June 1, the government said, a day after Prime Minister stressed on the mantras of "Aatma Nirbhar Bharat" or self-reliance and "vocal for local" while announcing a mega economic package to tackle the economic impact of coronavirus.

" PM Modi appealed for the country to be self-reliant and focus on local products (made in India), which will certainly take India on the path to global leadership in the coming days," Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted.

"In this direction, the home ministry has decided that all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) canteens will only sell swadeshi products. This will apply from June 1. Around 10 lakh CAPF personnel and 50 lakh members of their family will use swadeshi products," the home minister said. Paramilitary canteens record around Rs 2,800 crore in sales annually. The CAPF includes the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), National Security Guard (NSG) and Assam Rifles.

The Home Minister said people should use made in India products and urge others to do so also.

"This is not the time to lag behind but to turn a crisis into an opportunity. If every Indian resolves to use only made in India products then the country will become self-reliant," the home ministry said in a press statement.