HYDERABAD: Neera will soon be sold as a soft drink in the State and it will be available in retail at the counters or established Neera parlours as permitted by the excise commissioner. Neera stalls will also come up around the Outer Ring Road (ORR). The first stall will be inaugurated near Tank Bund soon.
The guidelines for the sale of Neera, also known as palm nectar, were released by Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, Excise Minister V Srinivas Goud and Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao here on Monday.
As per the guidelines, Neera may also be sold to the industries set up by the Telangana Khadi and Village Industries Board in the cooperative sector, the Cooperative Palm Jaggery Societies, the BC Corporation, the Telangana Geetha Parishramika Aarthika Sankshema Samstha or any other society permitted by the government.
The government will soon give permits for Neera Parlours at any other specified places within the limits of municipalities or tourist places. In case a Neera licensee is found indulging in adulteration, action will be initiated as per Excise Act and toddy rules in vogue.
Licences only to Gouds
The excise minister said that they would set up Neera Parlours on behalf of the State government. The sales will be expanded across all districts in phases. He thanked Chief Minster K Chandrasekhar Rao and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, who extended support to the Goud community, while allowing the sale of Neera. The Neera licences will be given only to Gouds, he said.
“Neera has several medicinal values and it can even control diabetes. The production and sale of the drink is high in areas like Cambodia, Africa, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Neera sales also started in the USA recently,” he said.