Task Force to check belt shops in State
VISAKHAPATNAM: Minister for excise and BC welfare Kollu Ravindra has said that the government will soon announce its new liquor policy.
Addressing a media conference here, the minister said that the new liquor policy was being prepared keeping in view the health of the people.
The government would appoint a committee to review the excise policies in the neighbouring states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The government was keen to announce the policy before June 30 when the existing liquor licences would expire, he added.
To fulfil the chief minister's electoral promise, a special task force was constituted to close all belt shops across the state, Ravindra said and added that around 15,000 belt shops were identified.
Ravindra said that the government would review permission to ACB to prosecute some officials who were accused in liquor scams during the Congress rule.
He agreed that the banned ganja cultivation and trading was continuing on a large-scale in the north coastal region. He felt that there was a need to constitute a multi-department task force to check the trend.
News Posted: 14 June, 2014
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