17-05-2025
West Godavari declared arrack-free district
Bhimavaram: Collector Chadalawada Nagarani declared West Godavari as an arrack-free district. The existing country-made liquor manufacturers should benefit through alternative employment avenues, she said.
She participated as the chief guest in the Navodayam 2.0 programme organised by the District Excise and Prohibition Department at the Collectorate on Friday. District Superintendent of Police Adnan Nayeem Asmi, district joint collector T Rahul Kumar Reddy, Excise DC B Srilatha, and others participated in this meeting.
Speaking on this occasion, Nagarani said that the government has launched the Navodayam 2.0 and set a target to make the state an arrack-free state. She said that country-made liquor manufacturing has been completely eradicated in the district. Financial assistance has been provided in the names of the wives of the manufacturers through the District Rural Development Organisation through the Women's Fund and bank linkage loans in the name of the manufacturers' wives so that those who make a living by liquor manufacturing and selling can now give up their worries and find alternative employment. Liquor manufacturing and selling is taking place in five areas of the district, and in order to completely eradicate it, 13 beneficiaries have been identified and cheques of Rs one lakh each have been given. With this, West Godavari district has been declared an arrack-free district. She advised the officials to widely disseminate the relevant toll-free number to the public for information related to liquor manufacturing.
He said that rallies should be organised to create awareness about the ills of alcohol consumption. Making or selling arrack is a crime under the law. They said that there will be constant surveillance on those who sell raw materials used for making liquor.
District Superintendent of Police Adnan Naeem Asmi said that strict action will be taken against those who continue to manufacture, transport and sell country-made liquor. Excise Deputy Commissioner Srilatha said that steps have been taken to identify those involved in the liquor trade in the district and provide them with alternative employment.
Finally, a sample cheque of Rs 13 lakh was presented to 13 beneficiaries.
District Prohibition & Excise Officer Dr RS Kumareswaran, Excise Assistant Commissioner Naga Prabhu Kumar, Assistant Excise Superintendent, CIs, and others participated.
