Jagan initiates steps towards total prohibition

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy has started work to implement total prohibition of liquor in the state, an idea which was part of his "Navaratnas" (nine programmes) for change.

At a review meeting on commercial taxes, excise and prohibition, held at his Tadepalli residence, Jaganmohan said that he will not seek a re-election in 2024, if he fails to implement total prohibition in the state.

Asking the officials to study best practices in other states, he wanted them to prepare a road map for "liberating" people from alcohol consumption in a phased manner.

He directed them to first crack a whip on belt shops— which are the extension of licensed shops through unlicensed agents— in villages.

“Liquor was flowing everywhere as the (previous) governments considered it a revenue source, ignoring the huge socio-economic impact it has on a predominantly agrarian economy,” the chief minister said.

“First we must increase the number of rehabilitation centers so that the alcoholics can be rehabilitated in a scientific manner,” he said and suggested awareness programmes to educate people on the evils of alcohol addiction.

If Jagan's plan of prohibition is implemented, only star hotels will be allowed to run the permit rooms.

TDP spokesperson Panchumarthi Anuradha while extending support to the government’s plan, asked on what criteria does the YSRCP government cancel licenses of certain percentage of shops.

“The problem of partial implementations is that the supply shifts from one place to the other and addition remains the same,” she pointed out.

YSRCP MLA from Vijayawada Malladi Vishnu said that several Islamic nations and the state of Gujarat were able to implement a ban on alcohol in an efficient way without affecting the state revenue.

"The household savings resulting from liquor ban particularly in the middle and lower middle class families can’t be underestimated,” Vishnu said batting for the prohibition.

Under the late NT Rama Rao, the TDP had brought in prohibition in the then united Andhra Pradesh. Later, N Chandrababu Naidu lifted the ban owing to the state's financial trouble after he took over the reigns of the party.

However, after the state was bifurcated in 2014, the residual state opened the flood gates for liquor making which turned out to be a major revenue source.