Commercial Tax (Excise) Minister Kawasi Lakhma on Tuesday directed the department officials to take immediate action on receiving complaints about liquor being overpriced in government liquor shops.
Lakhma warned the officials that the complaints of liquor being sold at more than prescribed price would be taken into account and senior officials proven guilty in such cases would be subjected to strict disciplinary action.
The minister was addressing the department officials in the state-level review meeting organized at Excise Building.
In the meeting, Commercial Tax (Excise) Department’s Secretary cum Commissioner Niranjan Das, Special Secretary AP Tripathi, Additional Commissioners PL Verma and RK Mandavi along with Deputy Commissioner of Raipur Headquarters, Assistant Commissioner and District Excise Officers, Assistant Excise Officers and other senior officials of various districts of the state were present.
Lakhma took district-wise detailed information from the officials concerned about the status of liquor shops.
It is noteworthy that presently, the state has 341 country and 313 foreign liquor shops.
Lakhma also reviewed the status of revenue collection, in the meeting. He directed the officials to keep strict vigilance on bordering districts of the state to prevent illegal supply of liquor from neighbouring states.
Officials were also directed to take immediate action and arrest the bootleggers.
The Excise Minister said that criminal cases should be filed as per the rules and the illegal liquor suppliers should be subjected to strict action. Complaints received in call centers should also be addressed on a serious note.
Excise Secretary informed the meeting that as per the instructions of the state government, the department is keeping strict vigilance to prevent illegal trade of liquor.
Prior to the review meeting chaired by Lakhma, Excise Commissioner Das convened a meeting of officials and gave necessary guidelines regarding the review meet.
He said that vending or serving of snacks within 50m perimeter of any liquor shop is prohibited. Strict action will be taken if complaints about such activities in liquor shops are found to be true during investigation.
Field officials were directed to work in coordination with local police to nab bootleggers.
Das directed all the district excise officers, assistant excise officers and excise inspectors to regularly conduct sudden inspections in liquor shops in their jurisdictions. In the meeting, Excise Commissioner reviewed the pending pension cases in the department. He gave instructions to the officials concerned to redress the pending pension cases on priority basis.