Jagan’s prohibition promise now a far cry, says Jawahar
The Hindu
‘YSRCP government treating Excise as main source of revenue’
TDP leader and former Excise Minister K.S. Jawahar has accused the State government of playing “dangerous games” with the health and lives of the people by adopting “illogical policies regarding manufacturing and sale of liquor.”
Addressing the media on Sunday, Mr. Jawahar said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had come to power by promising total prohibition if voted to power.
But the YSRCP government was treating Excise as the main source of revenue. Initially, the government increased liquor rates on the pretext that it would discourage drunkards, he said. “Now, it is bent on reducing the rates to boost sales and revenue,” he added.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.