Special excise drive against bootleggers
The Hindu
The Excise department is geared up for a Statewide special enforcement drive to check bootlegging and drug peddling during the Christmas and New year celebrations. Excise Minister M.V. Govindan said
The Excise department is geared up for a Statewide special enforcement drive to check bootlegging and drug peddling during the Christmas and New year celebrations.
Excise Minister M.V. Govindan said the government anticipated illegal distillation of liquor and transport of large quantities of spirit from neighbouring States in the run up to the festive season.
Noting that migrant workers could also be used to smuggle drugs and liquor through check-posts and small lanes in the border districts, he said enforcement activities would be stepped up. Excise officials would inspect all incoming vehicles, big and small, for contraband items at check-posts and Joint Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners would be supervising the inspections.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists