Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Excise K. Narayana Swamy has announced that the new excise policy will come into effect on October 1, paving the way for sale of liquor by the A.P. Beverages Corporation Limited (APBCL) through 3,500 designated outlets from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The government has set up 31 inter-State check-posts, 18 mobile patrolling parties, CCTV cameras and night watchmen for keeping a watch on the shops.
“The pricing mechanism in other States is being studied to find a way to discourage liquor consumption,” Mr. Narayana Swamy told the media here on Saturday. He said the shops were taken on rent and 3,500 supervisors and 8,033 salesmen were appointed. During the TDP regime, there were 4,380 shops, and each one of them had 10 belt shops.
The government, besides closing down the belt shops, booked cases on 2,872 persons for operating them and arrested 2,928. Besides, the department cracked the whip on production and sale of illicit liquor.
De-addiction centres
While regulating the sale of liquor, de-addiction centres were being set up at hospitals. The government limited the number of liquor bottles a person could possess without a permit to three, and beer to six. The Chief Minister positively responded to the plea to fill 678 constable posts, he said.
It was ensured that the liquor outlets were not located in the vicinity of places of worship and educational institutions. There would be no permit rooms and consuming liquor at authorised government outlets was prohibited.
Excise Commissioner M.M. Naik, Director (Enforcement) Hari Kumar and APBCL MD Vasudeva Reddy were present.
