Major Scam in Microbreweries Licence Grant: Harish

Hyderabad: The BRS on Wednesday alleged that the government was indulging in ‘major irregularities’ in the grant of licences to microbreweries with former minister and the party’s deputy floor leader in the Assembly, T. Harish Rao, saying that of the 110 applications received for setting up microbreweries, “25 licences were earmarked for ministerial and political quotas.”

During a chat with reporters, Harish Rao alleged that crores of rupees were being collected unofficially through intermediaries with a ‘fee’ fixed for granting of each licence.

He also slammed the government for declaring a crop holiday for farmers under the Singur dam affecting farming in a total of around 70,000 acres but at the same time, issuing orders that water supply must be ensured for beer manufacturing companies in Sangareddy district, from the same reservoir.

He said the licence to microbreweries is yet another scam of the Congress government and that “unofficial agreements were made to collect Rs.1.80 crore per brewery licence. While this is going on, he said, several multinational liquor companies have repeatedly written to the government, warning that they will stop supplies due to non-payment of dues. “Internal disputes over commission sharing among ministers have led to this crisis, which may seriously impact state revenue.”