Retail liquor traders in Bengal have alleged that around Rs 300 crore was collected from them between 2022 and 2025 as transportation charges, even though the state’s distributor-depot supply system puts the onus of the payment on distributors. The Society for the Welfare of West Bengal Foreign Liquor Licensees said the distributor-depot system introduced by the state government mandates that distributors would supply liquor to retailers’ godowns at their own expense. However, retailers were being made to pay `10-13 per case as transportation charges for beer supplies, the letter to the Excise Commissioner stated.
Classes to resume after forces vacate camps
More than a month has passed since the assembly elections and the announcement of their result, yet the central forces have not vacated their camps set up in several educational institutions. The state education department has now decided to resume classes in several schools after the withdrawal of the camps. A notification has been issued to the district administrations to resume classes in these academic institutions. Sources said that classes have been suspended in these schools for over 40 days since 4 May when the results of elections in 294 assembly constituencies in the state were announced.
Congress back in control of Rajiv Gandhi Foundation
With a change of guard in Bengal, the Congress got back control of the Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Foundation located at Sahapur in the New Alipore area under Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) ward 81. The foundation is an NGO established on June 21, 1991, to promote the vision and legacy of the late PM Rajiv Gandhi. Earlier, the grand old party used to control the foundation, but the Trinamool Congress, after forming its government in the state in 2011, took over its administrative functioning. Trinamool suffered a disastrous defeat to the BJP in the elections in the state, the results for which were announced on May 4.
SUBHENDU MAITI
Our correspondent in West Bengal
subhendu.maiti@newindianexpress.com