Wine merchants forced to increase sales?

BANGALORE: Forces engaged in alcohol de-addiction camps in the state, especially in rural areas, are up in arms over the reported statement of Excise Minister M P Renukacharya to increase the excise revenue from the present Rs 7,500 crore to Rs 10,000 crore.“The only obvious way to increase the revenue is to coax people to drink more liquor. Let the minister explain how the revenue is going to be increased,” Mahaveer Ajri, convenor of Belthangady-based Jana Jagruti Vedike, said.A prominent figure in conducting de-addiction camps in as many as seven districts undertaken by Sri Dharmasthala Manjunathaswamy Rural Development project, Ajri alleged that following the minister’s dictates to increase the revenue, the excise department officials have been forcing wine merchants to sell more liquor.“Apart from plugging the leak, the only other way to increase the revenue is to ensure sales of more liquor, which logically means that more people should take to drinking and those who are already drinking should drink more. What we have observed of late is that wine merchants send liquor stocks in vehicles to their newly-appointed sub-agents in rural areas, who in turn, make people drink. Our activists have noticed this disturbing phenomenon,” he alleged and added, “All these sub-agents are illegally appointed. But our department is determined to defeat this new trend by mobilising the people.”However, Renukacharya stoutly denied that his department has been indirectly forcing the wine merchants to sell more liquor in order to generate more revenue.“No body can force anybody to drink, as it is one’s own wish or desire. If I get specific instances of officials forcing wine merchants to sell more liquor I will take action,” the minister added.The minister also denied that the government has decided to give permission to open 2,000 new wine centres.When asked how he proposes to increase the revenue, the excise minister said the sale of seconds is being curbed besides taking action against those involved in hooch. “We are also working out a fool-proof system to plug the leak to increase the revenue,” he added.