Mumbai, Feb 10 (PTI) Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil on Monday claimed that paneer served in many hotels in the state is made of vegetable oil and not from milk.

He said the Centre should step in to stop the sale of the adulterated paneer, which will spur the demand for genuine milk-based soft cheese eventually benefiting milk producers.

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"A few years ago, Union government permitted the paneer production from vegetable oil. So, the paneer you get in hotels is generally made from vegetable oil and not from milk. You may get it (milk-based paneer) at some places (hotels)," Vikhe Patil said while addressing an agro exhibition in Nashik.

Vikhe Patil, who previously served as the state agriculture minister, said he was keen on banning the adulterated paneer.

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"I had previously made efforts and still expect the Centre to ban it. I am keen on banning the production of vegetable oil-based paneer and allowing only milk-based paneer. If such a decision is taken, 40 lakh litres of milk will be diverted for paneer production," Vikhe Patil said.

He said certain things cannot be stopped with time.

"The Maharashtra government is already encouraging the rearing of indigenous cows. In the last Cabinet (meeting) of the previous state government, I decided to spend Rs 50 per cow daily from the state coffers," Vikhe Patil added.

He said various ways should be explored to increase milk production and its utilisation with the help of the state government.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)