India. Ban on gudumba boosts sales of beer in Telangana

  • Reading time:2 min(s) read

A report in The Hans India has stated that a ban on the manufacture and sale of gudumba (illicitly distilled liquor) has witnessed boost in the sale of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and beer in the district of Telangana,. There was 33 per cent jump in the trade of liquor in 2015 than that of previous year. With a view to eliminate gudumba menace from the society and protect poor families, the State government had taken up a special drive and passed strict instruction to all the district officials.

Swiftly reacting on the government’s orders, excise officials with the help of police, Revenue and other departments conducted raids and destroyed gudumba manufacturing units across the State. Sale of jaggery was also banned in rural areas and cases were registered against the people those who kept jaggery in their homes. Moreover, the police department was also empowered to register cases against the people who were engaged in the manufacture and sale of ID liquor.

As part of the drive, excise officials were also obtaining written declaration from the sarpanchs of various villages. Sarpanches should confirm that there was no manufacture and sale of gudumba in their village. According to the statistics of Prohibition and Excise department, there was 27.52 percent increase in sales of IMF liquor and 14.62 per cent increase sale of beers in December 2015, i.e. 27 days after the district was declared as ID-liquor free area.

About 53,775 cases of IML and 48,480 cases of beers extra were sold in December making additional revenue of INR 24.34 crore to the department. A total of 2,49,172 IML cases were sold as against 1,95,397 in December 2014 while 3,79,971 beer cases as against 3,31,491 in 2014. About 1,02,563 IML cases were sold in Karimnagar excise district making it the highest number of IML sale in the district while Jagityal stood first in the beers sale by selling 1,56,488 cases.

Speaking to The Hans India, Excise Superintendent, M Shankaraiah said that there was a 33 percent hike from October to December 2015 when compared to 2014. The reason for such increase in IML and beer sales was only because of successfully controlling gudumba in the district, he said.