India: Panel to study liquor ban effect on revenue

Times of India

By Ashish Roy,TNN

August 17, 2017

Nagpur: Excise minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule has constituted a committee to study the effects of liquor ban on highways of the state. The committee will submit its report to the government in a month.

Due to the Supreme Court ban, a large number of bars and wine shops within 500 metres of national and state highways have closed down. This has reduced sale of liquor and has consequently hit the state’s revenue.

“The panel will seek information from all districts regarding reduction in revenue. We will take a decision to denotify the highways on basis of this information,” Bawankule told the media.

Many municipal corporations and municipal councils have submitted proposals to state government to denotify highways within municipal limits. The government is yet to take decision on most of the proposals.

Following the liquor ban, many people are selling liquor in prohibition zone. “We are taking action against these people under Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA). They will not be spared,” the minister said.

Commenting on possible power crisis due to shortage of water in feeder reservoirs of power generation plants, the minister assured that all farmers would get powers for 12 hours for agriculture. “We are taking various measures to combat the possible water shortage,” he said.