Staggering 100% increase in alcohol-related liver diseases during YSRCP rule: Expert panel

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh has registered a staggering 100 per cent increase in the cases of alcohol-related liver diseases during the tenure of Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP in 2019-2024 as compared to 2014-19, according to a report by an expert panel.

The 3-member panel, which the Chandrababu Naidu government constituted to analyse the disease burden in Andhra, used the official health data from Arogyasri, a flagship scheme to provide quality healthcare services to the poor.

Expressing concern over the panel's finding, Special Chief Secretary in the state's health department, Krishna Babu, said: "We find a startling increase in the number of liver and neurological patients in 2019-24 compared to 2014-19. We are quite concerned and we are analysing the data for further action." He also said the state government is in the process of setting up an advisory board, comprising national and international health experts, to further analyse the data to take preventive action.

According to the panel report, as against 14026 cases of alcohol-related liver ailments in 2014-19, the number increased by 100 percent to 29369 during 2019-24 when YSRCP was in power. The cases of alcohol-related neurological disorders also registered a drastic increase of 892 percent in 2019-24 at 12663 as compared to 2014-19, when there were only 1276 cases.

Asked why the expert panel was set up, Babu told PTI: "It was to analyse the disease burden in the state." It was found that four diseases pertaining to the liver, kidney, mental health and neurological disorders registered an abnormal increase during 2019-24.

Earlier this week, the Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case to investigate an alleged liquor scam that took place in Andhra Pradesh during the previous YSRCP regime.

The federal probe agency has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe alleged irregularities in the sale of liquor in the state, official sources said.

The ED case stems from a September 2024 FIR of the economic offences CID of the state police, they said.

Sources said the agency will investigate liquor agents, vendors, among others. ED will also examine the possible involvement of government officials in this case.

The ED has also been probing irregularities in the liquor trade in Chhattisgarh and Bihar.

The Chandrababu Naidu government has already constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged Rs 3,200 crore liquor scam during the former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's tenure. The SIT has also arrested the main accused in the alleged liquor scam, Raj Kasireddy, Jagan's IT advisor.

In its report, the SIT has alleged that the automated system of placing orders for procurement of liquor from distilleries for sale through government retail outlets was allegedly manipulated, nationally reputed brands were removed, and orders were placed on new brands way beyond the prescribed caps.

Kickbacks of Rs 150 per case of cheaper brands, Rs 200 for mid-range brands, and Rs 600 per case for high-end brands were collected, it alleged.

According to sources, the action of replacing nationally reputed brands with cheaper options under the guise of liquor policy reforms by the Jagan government could be one of the reasons for the spurt in cases of liver and kidney diseases.

The SIT also said that even though stocks of the popular brands were available in the depots, they were not supplied to the GROs, and new orders for supply (OFSs) were not issued to those brands.

National reputed brands were removed, and affiliates of the YSRCP party started manufacturing local brands like Andhra Gold Whisky, Good Friends Whisky, Dare House Brandy, Champion Special Whisky, and Hearts Desire Whisky.