The State government has proposed to set up a Social Responsibility Fund to rehabilitate those addicted to alcohol and to provide a livelihood for those who lost jobs after illicit liquor manufacturing centres were shutdown.
Minister for Excise Satish Jarkiholi, who on Sunday reviewed the functioning of the Excise Department, proposed to set up the fund out of profits made by Karnataka State Beverages Corporation Ltd. and from the revenue generated from liquor sales.
The modalities for setting up the fund and its size would be decided in the next meeting, a department official told The Hindu .
After nearly 2,000 illicit liquor manufacturing centres were shutdown in the State, several people lost their source of livelihood. The fund would be used to rehabilitate such people, the official said.
Officials informed the Minister that illicit liquor manufacturing centres were still functioning in 80 places in the State. Mr. Jarkiholi told officials to take steps to make the State free of illicit liquor.
The department has set a target to generate Rs. 12,400 crore in revenue in 2013-14. The department’s revenue in 2012-13 was Rs. 11,088 crore, the official said.
Minister for Housing M.H. Ambareesh also reviewed various schemes of the Housing Department on Sunday.
