K. Babu said that it had been decided to give '10 cr from Bevco’s corporate social responsibility fund
KOCHI: In a fresh development, the excise department has decided to route the money generated from the five per cent cess levied by the government on liquor sold by the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) to aid the setting up of the outpatient (OP) wing of Kochi Cancer Centre.
Excise minister K. Babu told DC on Sunday that it had been decided by the state Cabinet earlier to give Rs 10 crore from the corpo-rate social responsibility (CSR) fund of Bevco.
But due to the late realisation that not much money was left in the CSR kitty of Bevco, the excise department had decided to channel the money from the ‘cess pool’. “The money generated by Bevco goes to the government. Bevco as such is not flush with funds,” he said.
He said that he would present a note in the next Cabinet meeting to make a correction to enable a decision to take the money from the cess.
“The cess fund is over Rs 200 crore. It has to be used for purposes like rehabilitation, research and campaigns. So taking money from it for the cancer centre is fine,” the minister said.
He said that the Government Order (GO) for sanctioning the amount would be issued soon after the Cabinet decision. “There won’t be any delay. We are ready to advance the money, skipping procedures if the Special Officer wants money to start work immediately. I held a discussion with the Health Secretary and Special Officer Asha Thomas last week and the process of setting up the OP is proceeding smartly and smoothly,” he said.
Meanwhile, Asha Thomas told DC on Sunday that she received the GO sanctioning the registration of the society for the cancer centre on Friday. She said that the society would be registered in a week’s time.
