Mantralaya Times Bureau Mumbai 18/09/2016
Patanjali Ayurved founder and yoga guru Baba Ramdev along with the right wing Hindu nationalist organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), are pressurising finance and health ministers to impose a heavy tax on beverage companies selling products of high sugar content.
According to the report, representatives of RSS and Ramdev said that adults and children in the country consume huge quantities of sugar from processed food and drinks which is harmful.
chief economic advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian recommended a ‘sin tax’ of 40% on aerated drinks, tobacco and luxury cars, a rate almost double the suggested GST rate of 17-
Patanjali Ayurved spokesperson SK Tijarawala declined to comment if the group was looking to push forward a desi version of the colas to replace Coca-Cola and Pepsi products. He however said that the group has always argued for healthy products and they would launch more such products soon. He further stated that the demand to restrict sugar consumption is global, not local.
This April, Ramdev said Patanjali would soon overtake giants like Colgate, Unilever and Nestle. “Colgate will be below Patanjali by this year, and in three years, we will overtake Unilever. Patanjali products would make shut the ‘gate’ in Colgate. The birds in Nestle’s nest (logo) will also fly away,” Ramdev told reporters.
The company which started as a small pharmacy in 2007 has grown 10 times since its launch in 2011-12, reportedly overtaking major FMCGs like Emami, Dabur and Marico. Patanjali group registered a turnover of Rs 5,000 crore which it is aims to double by 2017 while it plans to expand to exports and e-commerce this year.