Maharashtra orders joint inspection drive to check sugar stock and sales
Maharashtra has launched a statewide physical verification drive to enforce central sugar stock limits on traders, distributors and large consumers until November 30. District inspection squads will check actual stocks, sales records and portal declarations, with violations attracting action under the Essential Commodities Act.
The Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Protection Department, Government of Maharashtra, has directed district administrations across the state to carry out joint physical verification of sugar stocks held by sellers, distributors, traders and large consumers, in line with stock limits notified by the central government.
According to the circular, numbered GR Jivika 2026/Pra.Kra.69/Napu 28 and issued from Mantralaya on August 27, 2026, the directive follows two central notifications imposing stock limits on sugar, an office memorandum from the Directorate of Sugar and Vegetable Oils under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, and a standard operating procedure finalised by the centre for physical verification of sugar stock held by traders.
Under the central notification of July 28, 2026, sugar sellers and distributors other than government bodies or the public distribution system cannot hold stock for more than 30 days from the date of receipt, and cannot hold more than 4,000 quintals, or 400 metric tonnes (MT), at any time or location. The restriction applies from August 1 to November 30, 2026.
A subsequent central notification extended similar curbs to large consumers other than government or local self-government institutions, barring those using more than 10 MT of sugar a month for production, consumption or as raw material from holding stock beyond 15 days, also till November 30, 2026.
The state circular has directed all sugar sellers and distributors to register immediately on the Food Stock Monitoring Portal, declare their current stock position, and update it every Friday. Failure to register, or submission of incorrect or incomplete information, will be treated as a serious irregularity inviting action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, the department said.
To enforce the limits, the state government has launched a verification drive covering sugar mills, distributors, traders and large consumers across Maharashtra, examining their stock, sales and dispatch records. The exercise began the same day the circular was issued.
Special inspection squads are being constituted at the district level, headed by the District Supply Officer, with the District Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies, a representative nominated by the Sugar Commissioner of Maharashtra, an Inspector of Legal Metrology and a police officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police or Police Inspector as members. For Mumbai and Thane divisions, squads will function under the Controller of Rationing and Director of Civil Supplies, Mumbai, while state-level vigilance squads formed under the Essential Commodities Act will also conduct verification.
Inspection teams have been asked to physically verify stock at registered premises and warehouses, count bags in stock and cross-check them against stock, purchase and sales registers, and compare actual holdings with the position declared on the monitoring portal. Verification of large consumers’ sugar usage will be based on Goods and Services Tax (GST) returns filed by sellers and buyers under the applicable Harmonised System of Nomenclature (HSN) code for sugar, while every sugar mill will have its monthly sales to large consumers verified.
Where discrepancies are found, teams have been directed to record the gap between declared and actual stock, with a special note where holdings exceed 4,000 quintals or stock is retained beyond the permitted period, supported by photographic evidence and relevant documents. Verification reports are to be prepared in a prescribed format and signed by both the inspecting officer and the trader concerned, with irregularities reported to the competent authority for further action under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
The circular, issued by order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra and signed by Ashok Aatram, Joint Secretary, will remain in force till November 30, 2026, or until superseded, whichever is earlier.
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Source : ChiniMandi
