Maharashtra govt asks cinema halls to allow outside food
14 Jul 2018
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The Maharashtra government has asked multiplexes in the state not to insist on patrons eating only costly refreshments and provided by cinema halls at much above the normal prices, and instead allow them to carry food from outside.
The state government on Friday made an announcement to this effect.
The state government on Friday announced that there would be no difference in the MRP of food products sold outside and inside multiplexes in the state and patrons are free to carry their own eatables inside the multiplexes.
The state government also assured the public that if the multiplex personnel stop customers carrying food items, it will take action against the erring multiplex.
The Maharashtra government will also soon resolve the issue of higher pricing of eatables and beverages in multiplexes, state’s minister for food and civil supplies Ravindra Chavan made this announcement in Nagpur.
“The MRP parity for food items inside and outside the multiplexes would be effective from August 1 and the Home Department of the state government will formulate a policy to act against violators,” Chavhan said in response to a calling-attention motion tabled by leader of the opposition Dhananjay Munde of the NCP.
The Maharashtra state legislative assembly is in session in Nagpur currently.
"The Home department will decide within six weeks, a policy on taking action against such multiplexes and malls," Chavan announced on the floor of the House. He also said the MRP of items will have to be uniform at all places as per central government policy.
Recently the Bombay High Court had pulled up the state government and multiplexes based on a PIL on how multiplexes were not allowing people to bring in food stuff procured from outside multiplexes and were charging exorbitant prices on food bought inside the multiplexes.
Multiplexes, however, said, with the new GST rates in place and about 30 per cent of the business for multiplex chains coming from sale of food and beverages, the order will severely hit business..
The decision sent shares of multiplex operators tumbling, with PVR Ltd and INOX Leisure Ltd diving as much as 14.1 per cent and 14 per cent, respectively, on the broader NSE index that ended slightly lower.
