Four liquor shops in Ranchi, recently opened by the State Government on August 1 will become online from Tuesday, making it easier for Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation limited (JSBCl) to keep a close eye on the sale and stock in those shops. The decision was taken by the State Government to sell liquor through JSBCl in Jharkhand to check illegal trade in liquor business.
“Four liquor outlets of Harmu, Chutia and other two places will become online from tomorrow as pilot project which will gradually be extended to other outlets in the State,” said Excise Commissioner Rakesh Kumar. All the liquor outlets are likely to get online by September 15, he added.
“With this we will be able to get exact figure of the sale and stock of any particular shop just by one click making it easier for us to keep a close eye on them and meet their requirements in them,” said Kumar.
Referring to the revenue gain through liquor sale after the State Government getting full control over it, Kumar said that there has been remarkable increase in it which was started with merely a sale of Rs 25 lakh.
“The sale has reached the figure of Rs 3 crore till Monday since the business was taken over on August 1, which is motivating for all of us. It is likely to boom with the opening of more outlets in the next 2-3 months,” said the Commissioner. At present, there were 375 liquor shops in the State as compared to 210, started on August 1, he added.
“The figure will go up in the next 2-3 months as there is a target of opening 500-600 outlets all over the State,” said Kumar. All precautions are being taken keeping Supreme Court direction into mind, he added.
Kumar further said that the system was same as earlier, only the management has been changed in a bid to check illegal liquor trade in the State. He however, accepted that initial hiccups are bound to come in any project which they were trying to remove one by one after identifying them.
“Since the new manpower has been roped in the business, they are facing problems in identifying the brands and quality, but will gradually get habituated in it,” said the Commissioner. He, however, claimed that they have been able to completely check illegal trade in the business after taking over the business the private players.