Jupally Faults BRS for Rise in ‘Alcoholics’
He questioned the criticism by the Opposition and alleged that liquor availability had expanded during that period.
Hyderabad:Excise minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Monday rejected allegations by BRS MLA T. Harish Rao on the state’s excise revenue projections, stating that the government is not promoting liquor consumption to increase revenue.
Intervening during the budget debate in the Assembly, the minister said excise revenue had increased from Rs 10,000 crore to Rs 36,000 crore during the previous BRS government. He questioned the criticism by the Opposition and alleged that liquor availability had expanded during that period.
“Who has actually pushed the state populace into alcoholism? We have not changed any of the existing schemes, nor hiked the tax. Infact belt shops have mushroomed during the BRS regime during its 10 year rule,” he said.
Earlier, Harish Rao termed the excise revenue targets in the Budget as unrealistic and questioned their feasibility. He asked whether increased revenue would be linked to expansion of belt shops.
The exchange reflects differences between the ruling Congress and the opposition BRS over revenue projections and excise policy.