TS decides to crackdown on IDs

• Excise Minister says govt will not tolerate selling of ID liquor
• Hopes to increase revenue from Rs 9,500 cr to Rs 10,500 cr
• Excise officials to be armed to counter any threat

Hyderabad: Telangana State government has decided to act tough against the Illicit Distilleries (ID) across the State.

At a press conference here on Tuesday, Excise Minister Padma Rao Goud said the government would crack down against the ID units in every village and Tanda. Specially mentioning Dhoolpet in Old City, which is notorious for manufacturing and selling Gudumba, the Minister said the area was under government’s scanner and the authorities would not tolerate selling of ID liquor in Hyderabad. People indulging in such acts would be booked under PD Act, he said.

At the same time, he said, the government would take measures to rehabilitate the families which were involved in the business, by finding alternative employment opportunities apart from extending financial support.

The government would also take the MRP violations seriously by cancelling the licences of the violators after penalising Rs 1 lakh for the first and second time, the Minister informed.

He added that the government hopes to increase the Excise revenue about Rs 500 crore this year if these units were controlled. He said the government was expecting Rs 10,500 crore in the form of revenue this year from Excise as against Rs 9,500 crore during last year.

The Minister said he had sought Rs 100 crore as part of the Budget proposals for creating infrastructural facilities like buildings etc for the Excise staff. It also decided to provide weapons to the officials. Since the Excise officials would be raiding the spots more frequently now, like Police, they need modern weapons to counter any threat, he added.