The Chhattisgarh Government seems to be serious about imposing total prohibition in the State in due course.
Notably, an 11-member delegation from Chhattisgarh, comprising MlAs and senior officials on Saturday returned after a three-day tour of Bihar where the team studied how the prohibition law has been implemented in the State for over two years now.
Although, Chhattisgarh Prohibition Minister Amar Agarwal on June 4 this year had stated that the State Government has no plans for imposing prohibition in the State before the upcoming Assembly polls, the Government has streamlined the machinery to control sale of liquor in the State, he had stated while addressing a press conference here.
Illegal sale of liquor in the State had stopped after the State Government took over the control of liquor sale in the State, he said.
There are no middlemen involved in liquor sale in State, Agrawal said.
The first meeting of the 11-member delegation which to study the prohibition policy of six States mainly Gujarat, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Delhi and Kerala in the country was held on May 5 in Raipur last year.
The delegation was formed in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Raman Singh in the Cabinet Meeting held in Naya Raipur on February 15 last year.
The Chhattisgarh Cabinet had approved the new ' Excise Policy’ to exercise total control over the liquor retailing agents after the implementation of the policy.
Chief Minister Raman Singh had presided over the Cabinet meeting at the Mantralaya.
Prohibition Minister Amar Agrawal provided details of decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting in a press conference later.
As per the Cabinet decision, an 11-member Committee under the chairmanship of Secretary, Excise Department was constituted. The panel comprised members of State Government, Social Service organisations and general citizens.
The Committee decided to visit three States where total prohibition is implemented. Apart from this, the panel members also decided to tour three States where liquor is sold under State Government supervision.