The Odisha government is going to bring a new excise or liquor policy. Some important changes are being announced in it. The Odisha government will announce the new liquor policy by June 20. This information was given by the state’s Excise Minister Prithviraj Harichandan on Friday. He said that this policy will be effective for three years and it will be implemented in a phased manner.
Minister Harichandan said that we are going to bring a concrete and long-term liquor policy for three years. For this, the excise policies of various states are being studied. We have formed many teams for this, which are visiting various states. He said that a team led by the Excise Secretary will soon visit Andhra Pradesh. After that visit, the policy will be finalized and it will be announced between June 15 and June 20.
It is worth mentioning that the previous BJD government used to formulate a separate excise policy for each financial year. Last year, the BJP government also adopted a similar policy, but now a three-year policy has been planned to be implemented. Minister Harichandan also announced that a massive de-addiction campaign will be launched in the state. This campaign has been specially designed to create awareness by involving students, communities, youth and women. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will launch this campaign on the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. The campaign will continue till June 26, which is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Street plays, folk art, essay and debate competitions, awareness programs etc. will be organized under the drug de-addiction campaign. It will be organized by the Excise Department in collaboration with Mission Shakti, Culture Department, School and Mass Education Department, Higher Education Department and other supporting departments. It is hoped that through this dual effort of the government (new policy formulation and drug de-addiction campaign), the problem of alcohol and drugs can be effectively controlled in the state.
