BENGALURU: The State Excise Department is likely to become top heavy with the government reportedly proposing to create 40 posts of Additional Deputy Commissioners Excise (ADEs).
According to informed sources, who did not wish to be named, the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) is likely to meet at 3 pm on Wednesday at Vidhana Soudha regarding the promotion of 40 deputy superintendents of Excise as ADEs.
“The creation of new posts was reportedly recommended by a committee comprising senior excise officers and an IAS officer from the Finance Department, as a member. The committee met on August 31, September 3 and 6 and came out with the proposal,” said sources. The objective behind creating additional top posts in the department at a time when the State exchequer is hard-pressed for revenue is however not clear.
Representatives of the wine and liquor retailers association are likely to meet Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday after his return from Delhi to raise their concerns about the new posts. “There are already enough posts of officers in the department to keep a check on any illegal activities. What is the need to make the Department top heavy,” asked one of the association members.
The State Excise Department was trimmed after the abolition of arrack on July 1, 2007. The then chief minister HD Kumaraswamy of JDS-BJP coalition government had subsequently abolished the post of superintendents following the arrack ban and had set up the Excise and Lottery Prohibition Wing to control the menace of seconds, thirds and illicit liquor and single-digit lottery.