BANGALORE: Excise Minister M P Renukacharya has said pistols are being provided to the officers of the rank of excise inspectors to deal with the menace of hooch.
"Earlier, it was decided to give revolvers to the personnel of the rank of inspectors but later it was decided to withdraw the revolvers and instead provide them with pistols to make the force more effective and efficient," Renukacharya told presspersons here on Tuesday. The excise minister as well as a few officials were injured when hooch vendors had pelted stones on them in Belgaum district during a raid.
Also, Renukacharya said permission would not be given to make alcohol items from food products. "Manufacture of alcoholic items from food products such as wheat, jowar and barley could lead to acute shortage of these food grains. It is true that there is a heavy demand from liquor manufacturers on the government to accord permission for this but we are not in favour," he added.
According to Renukacharya, the proposal to manufacture liquor from beetroot is under consideration, as it exists in western countries. "If it is going to help the farmers, then permission may be given but no decision has been taken yet," the excise minister said.
In response to a question, the excise minister said the revenue target fixed for the year 201112 was `9,300 crore and all efforts were being made to collect 20 per cent more than the target. "Last year, the revenue collection was about `736 crore," he said.
Also, Renukacharya disclosed that he had written a letter to Goa chief minister to take steps to prevent transportation of illicit liquor from that state to Karnataka.
On the issue of thousands of posts lying vacant in the excise department, Renukacharya said it had been decided to recruit 2,300 persons in various categories in three phases. He added that `100 crore had been earmarked for modernisation of the excise department.