Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Govt. denies corruption in Excise Department

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Nov. 14. The Government here on Thursday denied corruption in the Prohibition and Excise Department and said no bribes were being collected by the officials at any level.

Replying to the question of the Congress members, M.V. Mysoora Reddy, J.C. Diwakar Reddy and T. Jeevan Reddy in the Assembly, the Minister for Prohibition and Excise, T. Seetaram, however, assured the House that all those officials caught in ACB raids would face the consequences. Naming a few officials caught during the raids, he said the law would take it own course and no one would be spared.

There was also no favouritism displayed in giving focal postings to any corrupt official and those holding simultaneously two posts would be relieved of one.

Earlier, the three Congress members and the BJP member, Premsingh Rathod and the MIM MLA, Syed Sajjad, alleged that the Excise officials were unnecessarily harassing people and collecting huge `mamools'. Citing specific cases of corruption, they countered the argument of the Government that there was no corruption. The twin-cities were an example of massive corruption as despite the fact that there was not a single tree to tap toddy here there were several toddy shops, they said.

Mr. Rathod and Mr. Sajjad accused the officials of raiding the houses of Dhoolpet residents in the night and assaulting even women. The Minister assured that action would be initiated if anyone was found guilty and said regular checks were being conducted to prevent the adulteration of toddy in the twin-cities.

Women SIs

The Home Minister, T. Devender Goud, assured the House that more women would be recruited in the department and said more Mahila Police Stations would be established. Service conditions for men and women were the same and there was no discrimination against women in the department, he said.

Non-formal education

Replying to the question of the Leader of Opposition, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, on the problems of non-formal education supervisors and instructors who were drawing meagre salaries, the Minister for School Education, M. Venkateswara Rao, said in accordance with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan guidelines, innovative education centres were being set up in the State. There was a proposal under examination of enrolling the services of the supervisors and instructors in the Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education Centres.

Crop insurance

On the question of crop insurance to farmers, the Minister for Agriculture, V. Sobhanadreeswara Rao, said the ratio of contribution between the State and the Centre was 1:2 till 1999. But now it was half by each.

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