However, hours later he disowned his statement

Excise Minister H. Nagesh has done it again. The Minister, who recently disowned his statement on ensuring supply of liquor at people’s doorsteps, did a similar U-turn on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference on the New Year’s Eve, Mr. Nagesh said the Excise Department was considering providing “cheap liquor of good quality” to the poor.

“We are considering providing cheap liquor of good quality to the poor sections of society. The quality will be maintained because cheap liquor should not affect the health of the poor,” Mr. Nagesh told presspersons. He said the matter would be discussed with excise and finance officials before the 2020-21 budget, which is scheduled to be presented on March 5.

Asked whether the department was considering providing subsidised liquor to the poor, he said the subsidy issue would be decided on after consultations with the Finance Department.

Clarification

However, hours after this, the Minister issued a clarification, saying that he never made such a statement.

It may be recalled that Mr. Nagesh had triggered a controversy in September 2019 when he stated that the department was proposing door delivery of liquor in the State. He subsequently made a U-turn on the matter after Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa asked him to drop any such proposal. Women activists across the State too had opposed the Minister’s statement.

Asked about boosting liquor sales, Mr. Nagesh said “good decisions” needed to be made, keeping in mind revenue as well as people’s health. “Costly liquor is being sold only in Bengaluru because of celebrations and tourists. It has no takers in other parts of the State. Many people are buying low-cost liquor and there is a huge demand for it,” he said.

On a question about the illegal sale of liquor at ration shops in rural areas, the Minister said such practices have existed for long. “Now, the department has intensified raids and no such shop has been selling liquor,” he claimed.

Granting licence

On opening more liquor shops, the Minister said he was not in favour of granting fresh licences. Already, permission has been granted to open 765 Mysore Sales International Ltd. shops in the State. Of this, 408 are yet to be established. Four shops can be opened in each Assembly constituency. Legislators have to decide on the opening of shops in their constituencies, he said.

On a complaint that officials were asking liquor shop owners to boost the sale of hard liquor by reducing the sale of beer, the Minister said officials have been directed not to regulate the sale of beer in coastal districts. He also said ₹14,400 crore had been mobilised by the end of November, as against the target of ₹20,950 crore set for 2019-20.