Speaking with the reporters on Thursday, Board Chairman Sacchidananda Heggade said that a major share of scheme benefits is being utilised by the BPL beneficiaries to consume alcohol.

Citing example of Hosur village in Mysore, Heggade said that a NGO working in the area has found that most of the BPL families take wheat from the Fair Price Shops and sell it out so that they can purchase liquor from the money thus earned.

 “All measures will be taken to check the misuse of scheme benefit. Awareness programmes will be organised in about 6,000 high schools across the state in the next academic year,” he said

Addiction free village

Heggade said that the Board will declare two villages in each district in the state as ‘alcohol addiction-free’ village. “The plan has taken shape already as it has been introduced in 22 villages in Uttara Kannada district. The scheme will now be extended to  Chamrajnagar, Gadag and Shimoga districts too. We intended to introduce in plan in entire state phase by phase,” he said

CM’s response

The Board had convened a state level convention at Sirci recently and during the convention a five point resolution was passed to keep the society healthy and free from alcohol addiction.

The Board had brought the resolution and the various plans of the Board to the notice of Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa.

“The Chief Minister during the course of the discussion has expressed his concern over alcohol addiction. Chief Minister said that the Government is committed to control alcohol menace and hence it is very strict while issuing bar licences,” Heggade said. He further added that over 1000 applications for bar licenses are said to be pending at the state government.