DCM and finance minister Ajit Pawar ensured that required funds will be given to buy advanced technology, machines and to appoint required staff for the food and drug administration department to curb the milk adulteration throughout the state. Pawar said the State government seriously wants that every person of the state should get the pure milk of cow and buffalo. The assurance came after the issue was raised by the MLA of Prahar Janshakti Party MLA Bachhu Kadu in the assembly.
Kadu alleged that people are not getting pure milk in the state. Selling adulterated milk creates loss for milk producers as well as buyers. Adulterated milk creates illness in the body of people and Milk producers are not getting MSP on pure milk. Kadu alleged around 60 lakh liter of adulterated milk is being sold in the market. Kadu sought information about what the government has done to curb the milk adulteration and how many people had been arrested.
While replying to it Ajit Pawar said " We are aware of the seriousness of the issue. In the past, we had passed the law, wherein provision was made to give death punishment to those who do milk adulteration in the state but that law was not signed by the then President of India saying the punishment is more harsh than the crime committed."
Pawar refuted the claim made by the Bachhu Kadu saying " There is some adulteration in the milk but not at the huge level, which MLA Kadu has claimed. Government is of the view that all people of Maharashtra should get pure milk. A meeting will be held along with the minister of food and drug administration and all the financial assistance will be given to them to curb the milk adulteration in the state."
Pawar also brought to the notice of the state assembly that milk prices are around Rs 60 per liter therefore, many people indulge in such adulteration activities to earn money. " We can't even declare that people should buy milk of a particular company because people can adulterate milk in the plastic bags of those milk companies," said Pawar. The government is serious against such adulteration of milk and ready to take stringent action against the accused. He added.
