Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy told the officials to ensure that ganja and other such substances were beyond the reach of the student community by doing among other things, prominently displaying the contact numbers of the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) outside colleges and universities.
He insisted that there should be no drug abuse and the Collectors should take the responsibility for it.
Addressing a review meeting of the revenue-generating departments, including Excise, Mines and Panchayat Raj, on Thursday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said liquor consumption had come down due to a steep hike in the prices and shutting down of the belt shops, and suggested that alternative means of livelihood should be shown to those indulging in illicit brewing of liquor and cultivating ganja.
Liquor consumption dips
The officials told the Chief Minister that the consumption of liquor decreased from 384.31 lakh cases in 2018-19 to 278.50 lakh cases in 2021-22. The sale of beer declined from 277.10 lakh cases to 82.6 lakh cases during the same period.
On the other hand, revenue had gone up from Rs.20,128 crore to Rs.25,023 crore due to the increase in prices.
In all, 20,127 cases were registered, 16,027 persons arrested and 1,407 vehicles were seized in various liquor-related violations.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the ACB toll-free number 14400 should be displayed in all government offices, and sub-registrar offices.
Mining
He said the Collectors should ensure that mining operations were carried out only with necessary permissions, and sort out issues in a manner that there was no loss of revenue.
There should be transparency in the sale of red sanders, he said. Responding to it, the officials said that 2,640 metric tonnes of the wood was going to be auctioned between October and March by following due procedures.
Deputy Chief Minister K. Narayana Swamy, Ministers Dharmana Prasada Rao, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and P. Viswaroop, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, DGP K.V. Rajendranath Reddy and others were present.
