Good News! Maharashtra government lifts ban and allow 'outside food' into cinema halls from August; details inside
The Maharashtra state government lifted the ban on outside foods in multiplex theatres and allows movie-goers to carry own home-cooked or outside packed food items inside cineplex from August 1st. Food supply minister Ravindra Chavan announced the government’s decision to allow outside food inside the cinema halls and has warned action against anyone not allowing people to do so.
In the Nagpur Assembly, Chavan made the statement when Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde asked the government to clarify if outside food was permitted inside theatres.
“There are no restrictions on bringing food items inside multiplexes across Maharashtra. Strict action will be taken against those who do not allow this. Also, from 1 August, food articles will be sold at MRP,” leader of Opposition in Legislative Council and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, Dhananjay Munde wrote in a tweet.
However, reports also suggest that the state government will also ask theatre owners to reduce the prices of food items sold inside the premises.
For the same, the government will hold a meeting with multiplexes officials to fix food prices at par with market levels. Following the reported statement, Mukta Arts has said have not heard anything w.r.t carrying own food in multiplexes, & to call this a ruling is a bit premature, CNBC TV18 reported.
The Maharashtra government will need to engage with multiplexes before taking such a call & if a ‘ruling’ does come, it might be a precedent for rest of the country, Mukta Arts said further.
The decision came after the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) protested in a series against it and sought an explanation for the exuberant prices charged for food at movie theatres.
First published: 14 July 2018, 11:56 IST
