Maharashtra`s Fisheries and Port Development Minister, Nitish Rane, has launched the `Malhar Certification` to distinguish mutton shops that are run exclusively by members of the Hindu community. The initiative aims to ensure that customers can purchase meat from shops that meet specific community-based standards, with a focus on hygiene and authenticity. The `Malhar Certification` guarantees that these shops are 100% owned by Hindus, and Rane has stressed that the meat sold in certified shops will be free from adulteration. He encouraged the public to only buy mutton from these certified vendors, highlighting the importance of supporting businesses that adhere to these strict standards. Rane explained that the certification would not only provide better options for Hindus and Sikhs, ensuring access to non-Halal meat but also help financially empower the youth in the Hindu community. The certification seeks to unite Hindu butchers under a single platform and promote the sale of Jhatka meat, which involves a specific method of slaughter that does not follow ritualistic practices. According to the Malhar certification’s official website, the certified meat is described as "fresh, clean, free from saliva contamination," and not mixed with meat from other animals. It also specifies that only vendors from the Hindu Khatik community are authorized to sell under this certification, ensuring the meat`s authenticity and compliance with community standards.