iGrain India - New Delhi. The Legal Metrology Division of the Central Consumer Affairs Department had proposed amendment to Rule 3 of the Legal Measurement (Packaged Commodities), Rules 2014 and invited suggestions and views from various stakeholders on this.
The Delhi-based organization - Pulses and Beans Importers Association (PBIA) has said in its comment on this that the Consumer Affairs Department has proposed to amend Rule 3 to establish uniformity in packaged products with the aim of including the entire market under both offline and online channels, because packaged commodities in quantities of more than 25 kg are also available in the market for retail sale.
The Consumer Affairs Department has asked the concerned parties to give their views and suggestions on some proposed amendments by July 29. Under the present provision, the provisions of the chapter will not apply to packages of commodities of more than 25 kg or 25 liters, but under the proposed revised provision, the provisions of the said chapter will apply to all packages of commodities sold in bags at retail.
But these rules will be applicable to packaged commodities for sale to industrial customers or institutional buyers.
Similarly, under the present rule, the provisions will not apply to cement, fertilizers and agricultural / food products sold in bags above 50 kg and products sold to industrial and institutional customers will also remain out of its scope.
According to PBIA, the revised rules will apply only to all other packaged commodities apart from those sold to industrial and institutional buyers, which will be sold in bags or bags at retail. In this way, with the amendment proposed, rice, cereals, other food grains and pulses etc.
will come under the purview of GST and only products packed above 25 kg or 25 liters will remain out of its purview.
If that amendment is implemented, the industry and business sector will be affected all over India and the risk of inflation will also increase. There is no need to change the existing rule.