At a news conference here, he said the current financial year would witness a leap of nearly 17 per cent in the revenue. A strict check on the sale of hooch, fake and liquor from other states has resulted in the growth of revenue to the coffers. The revenue touched ` 6,221 crores between April and Jan 31, 2011 when compared to ` 5,322 crores generated during the corresponding period of last year, registering 17 per cent growth. The revenue is expected to touch the whopping ` 8,200 crores in the year 2010—11, he added.
The minister said the department sold about 55 lakh boxes of liquor this year compared to 31,781 lakh boxes last year. There is an increase of 48,000 boxes in sales. The excise police raided and closed 1,475 hooch units and 18 people have been booked under Goonda Act. About 60 per cent of units have been closed in the state, he stated.
About 657 grama sabhas had been conducted to check hooch brewing and about 570 kilos of ganja has been seized. Also, the excise personnel conducted 52,554 raid between April 2010 and Jan 31, 2011, booked 9178 cases and arrested 3962 persons.
About Rs 65 crore worth 656 vehicles have been seized. In all, 53, 904 boxes of fake liquor, 63,956 boxes of beer, 1.62 lakh litres of spirit, 2,614 litres of arrack, 32,459 litres of hooch and 5.83 lakh litres of wash had been seized in the same period.
“The various reforms initiated through the Karnataka State Beverage Corporation Limited and the excise department has resulted in the increase in revenue for the coffers,” the Minister said.
Vacancy
He said the department was facing shortage of personnel and as many as 2271 posts were vacant. The Chief Minister had been appealed to sanction permission for the recruitment of vacant posts to strengthen the enforcement. The posts vary from guards to Sub- Inspectors of excise, he stated.
Family profession
Asked whether he too had any fear from the liquor mafia as Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa and another cabinet colleague Shobha Karandlaje has expressed their fear of threat to life, he said the black magic against the Chief Minister was true.
“The opposition has done witchcraft to give trouble to our CM. Black magic is a family business of H D Devegowda and his sons. It is a known fact,” he quipped.
He added the department won’t be cowed down by any lobby or threat in implementing the rules.