JOIN USExcise Minister Sathish L Jarkiholi on Monday said a State Excise Academy will be established in the lines of the Karnataka Police Academy.
Speaking to mediapersons during his visit to the Congress office here, the minister said plans to set up Excise Academy at Sira, Tumkur district, was in the pipeline. The government had earmarked funds for the purpose in the budget, which would be utilised soon.
He said officers and staff of the Excise department were now being trained at the Police Academy, which itself is short-staffed. Establishment of the Excise Academy would be helpful in training the staff of the department. The Academy will also concentrate on creating legal awareness among the staff. He said measures had been taken to fill the 2,200 vacancies in the Excise department. Exams have been conducted to fill 500 vacancies initially and the process will be completed within three months.
On the measures to be taken to rehabilitate hooch producers, he said, the government would introduce policies to curb such activities in the near future. More than 2,000 hooch manufacturers had been identified and they will be compensated. Loan facilities will also be provided to hooch makers who own agricultural lands. The government will take strict action against the offenders if they continue with hooch production even after receiving benefits from the government.
Jarkiholi said the government had no plans to lift the ban on arrack. Permissions for new arrack shops have not been given after 1992. The department is expecting Rs 12,600 crore revenue this year, he added.