No new liquor shops to be opened in Odisha, says excise minister Prithiviraj Harichandan
Bhubaneswar: No new liquor shops shall be opened in Odisha anymore, says Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Thursday. This is a major announcement made by the minister today.
According to reports, the minister further said that the main challenge with the Excise ministry of Odisha is to prevent the sale of illegal liquor in the Odisha market. The objective is to completely stop the sale of liquor without tax.
A new regulation will be brought in the Odisha Excise policy in this regard. The loopholes in the excise rules will be identified and eradicated.
Earlier on June 15, the Odisha I and PR department clarified on circulation of fake news on ban of liquor in the state. The Information and Public Relations Department Government of Odisha clarified that, the news that all forms of liquor will be banned in Odisha is completely baseless.
The department wrote, “ସାମାଜିକ ଗଣମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ପ୍ରସାରିତ ହେଉଥିବା ଏହିଭଳି ଫେକ୍ ନ୍ୟୁଜ୍ ପ୍ରତି ସଚେତନ ରୁହନ୍ତୁ। ସବୁବେଳେ ସରକାରୀ ସୂତ୍ରରୁ ପ୍ରଦତ୍ତ ତଥ୍ୟ ଉପରେ ଗୁରୁତ୍ବ ଦିଅନ୍ତୁ। ଏହିଭଳି ମିଥ୍ୟାଗୁଜବ ପ୍ରସାରଣରୁ ନିବୃତ୍ତ ରୁହନ୍ତୁ। ଏହା ବେଆଇନ ଅଟେ।” This roughly translated into, “Be aware of such fake news circulating on social media. Always focus on information provided by official sources. Please refrain from spreading such false rumours. It is illegal,” the Odisha I and PR department warned.
It is worth mentioning here that fake news on liquor ban in Odisha was being widely shared on almost all the social media platforms across the state.
Later on July 26 it was reported that, Odisha Govt has plans liquor ban in State in phased manner, said social security Minister Nityananda Gond on Wednesday. However, initially we will discuss with the Excise and other departments to in this regard to move towards the dry day in a phased manner.
The minister said, liquor has been banned in several other states. Our government will also try to do the same in phased manner. We will discuss with Excise and other departments to make Odisha liquor free in a phase wise manner. The state government will also take steps to lessen consumption of drugs in order to create a healthy society, he had further said.
This report of no new liquor shops in Odisha seems to be a first step in this regard.