None authorised to sell liquor yet : CM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 03 2023:
With the exception of security establishments, no other establishments have been authorised to sell liquor in the State, stated Chief Minister N Biren.
Responding to a query raised by K Ranjit, the Chief Minister said that an expert committee was constituted subsequent upon the Cabinet decision to legalise liquor in the State and the Government has been awaiting the committee's report.
Purchase of liquor from security canteens by civilians is illegal, Biren said.
He said that the State Government collected Rs 15.52 crore in excise duty during 2021-22 .
K Ranjit further asked the details of the Cabinet decision to legalise local liquor brewed at Sekmai, Andro etc.
Responding to the query, Biren said that further action would be initiated once the expert committee submits its report.
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Replying to a query raised by Paolienlal Haokip, the Chief Minister said that 18,500.6 acres of poppy plantations have been destroyed so far under the War on Drugs.
Since 2019-20, the Government has been providing seeds of different crops for cultivation in areas where poppy plantation was done earlier.
Through the Planning Department, the State Government has sent a project proposal named 'Alternative livelihood for poppy farmers with permanent (terraced) cultivation on jhum lands through integrated approach in the hill areas of Manipur' to the Ministry of DoNER, Biren said.
There is no plan to rehabilitate all the poppy growers but extension of some aid on humanitarian ground is another matter, he said.
Paolienlal Haokip said that many people who were engaged in poppy cultivation as labourers are now facing many difficulties following cessation of poppy plantation.
The MLA then sought livelihood aid to these labourers from the Government.
In reply, the Chief Minister said that the Government has been working to provide livelihood to the hill people under different schemes and dissuade them from deforestation activities.
An amount of Rs 1300 crore would be received from JICA and the State Government has been planning to utilise this amount in dissuading hill people from deforestation activities, replacing shifting/jhum cultivation with terraced cultivation and protecting forests, Biren continued.
To a query raised by Th Lokeshwor, Biren informed the House that a screening committee has completed its process for entitling senior scale/selection grade pay to drivers working in Home Department as regular employees for 10 years.
Biren said that the matter is being examined by the Department of Personnel.