The State government’s liberalised liquor policy appears to have slowed down its anti-liquor and anti-narcotic campaign, ‘Vimukhthi’. Local bodies, identified as the main drivers of the campaign, have failed to utilise the amounts allocated to them to carry out the campaign. Despite repeated reminders, many local bodies, particularly the block panchayats, have not utilised the amounts, according to government sources.
The Vimukhthi anti-liqour anti-narcotic campaign was launched amid much fanfare in March, virtually superseding an earlier programme formulated by the previous United Democratic Front (UDF) government. Under the Vimukhthi mission, corporations and municipalities were allocated ₹50,000 each, village panchayats and block panchayats ₹25,000 each for various anti-liquor, substance abuse campaigns. Local bodies in larger districts like Ernakulam were allocated nearly ₹45 lakh.
The Rural Development Commission has written to all block panchayats expressing concern at huge portions of funds lying unutilised.
All block panchayats have been asked to submit accounts about their expenses for the campaign. The grama panchayats, corporations and municipalities will also have to do submit accounts of their expenditure for the campaign.
According to government sources, the anti-liquor and anti-narcotic campaign slowed down following the decision to sanction more liquor bars and outlets under the new liberalised policy of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. The previous UDF government had formulated a scheme in the context of its decision to close down liquor bars and bring down the number of outlets.
The LDF government reformulated the scheme mainly to cushion the negative impact of its liberal liquor policy.
