OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES

PROHIBITION AND EXCISE DEPARTMENT

The prohibition policy of the Government aims at the moral, ethical and economic uplift of the common man and the achievement of peaceful living conditions in society. To achieve this goal the prohibition laws were enforced which prohibited the production, possession, export, import, transport, sale and consumption of all intoxicants except as permitted by rules. This policy was implemented in the then Bombay State since 1950. However, this policy was changed in the year 1973 and the restrictions put on consumption, use, etc., were subsequently lifted. However, the Prohibition and Excise Department administers the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, the Medicinal and Toilet Preparations (Excise Duties) Act, 1955, the Spirituous. Preparations (Inter-State Trade and Commerce) Control Act, 1955, the Dangerous Drugs Act, 1930, the Bombay Drugs Control Act, 1959. and the Bombay Opium Smoking Act, 1936.

Organisation : The Commissioner of Prohibition and Excise is the head of the Prohibition and Excise Department. As he is responsible for the administration of the various prohibition laws in the State, his office forms a central organisation for directing proper implementation of the policy of the Government and for guiding the Collectors and subordinate District Prohibition and Excise Officers in the State.

At the district level the administration is carried on by a Superintendent of Prohibition and Excise under the general control and supervision of the Collector. The Superintendent is assisted by Inspectors of Prohibition and Excise who are placed in charge of sub-divisions into which the district is divided. The Inspectors and Sub-Inspectors are assisted by Prohibition and Excise Constables. The supervisory staff of the department is also posted at the distilleries for supervision over manufacture of spirits and Indian and foreign liquors. A Sub-Inspector of Prohibition and Excise is also posted at each bonded manufactory in which duty-free rectified spirit is used for the manufacture of medicinal and toilet preparations. Matters pertaining to foreign liquor trade and import licences also come under the supervision of a Sub-Inspector at the cost of licensees.

Functions : The main functions of the Department are confined to licensing, inspection of such licences and the enforcement of controls enacted under various Acts. The officers of the Department have also to undertake the prohibition propaganda and supervise recreation centres. The primary responsibility of the Police in offence cases remains unchanged. However, the officers of the Prohibition and Excise are empowered to prosecute independently the offenders in respect of the cases detected by them instead of passing them on to Police. The staff of the department is responsible for supervision over bonded manufactories, warehouses, foreign liquor shops, toddy shops, neera centres and distilleries etc.

An essential part of the rationalisation of the Prohibition policy by Government is education of the people about the evil effects of drinking by vigorous prohibition propaganda and ameliorative activities. The regulation of consumption of various liquors is given below: —

Foreign liquor: Under the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules, 1953, framed under the Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949, various licences are granted, viz., trade and import licence, vendors licence, hotel licence and club licence.

As per modified policy the health permits coming under the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules, 1953, which were in existence before 1972 are now valid for an indefinite period. The holders can get. on the strength of health permit, any quantity of liquor.

Toddy: The toddy scheme was introduced in the State in 1968. Under this scheme the free sale of toddy containing not more than 5 per cent alcohol by volume is permitted. Toddy upto three litres at a time is allowed to be transported and possessed without licence for consumption.

Industrial alcohol: The organisations mentioned in table No. 1 were issued licences for the manufacture and sale of industrial alcohol in Ahmadnagar district under the Maharashtra Distillation of Spirit and Manufacture of Potable Liquor Rules, 1966.

At present thirteen distilleries are engaged in the manufacture and sale of spirit in the State of Maharashtra, out of which five are located in Ahmadnagar district. The actual production of industrial alcohol during the years 1971-72 and 1973-74 of Messrs. Somaiya Organo-Chemicals Ltd., Sakharwadi, was 54.89 and 56.44 lakh litres.

Potable liquor, beer and wine: After the enforcement of the Maharashtra Distillation of Spirit and Manufacture of Potable Liquor Rules, 1966 and Maharashtra Manufacture of Beer and Wine Rules, 1966, Messrs. Tilaknagar Distilleries and Industries Ltd. have been granted licences for the manufacture of potable liquor (Indian-made foreign liquor), beer and wine.

Besides this, Messrs. Pravaranagar Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd., Pravaranagar, was granted letters of intent for manufacture of potable liquor, beer and wine. Messrs. Tilaknagar Distilleries manufactured potable liquor amounting to 50,229 litres during 1971-72 and 13,30,032 litres in 1973-74. The Government Distillery at Chitali manufactured 1,177 litres of potable liquor during 1971-72.

Denatured spirit: The denatured spirit is mainly used in the manufacture of French Polish, Varnish and Thinners. There are about 92 licensees in the State who hold licence for the wholesale sale of denatured spirit, of whom one is in the Ahmadnagar district. Out of 535 retail sale licensees of denatured spirit for domestic consumption in Maharashtra State, 11 are in the district.

Country liquor: In order to combat effectively the illicit liquor trade in the State, cheaper liquor was made available for sale. Subsequently the Government enacted the Maharashtra Country Liquor Rules, 1973, under which distilleries holding licence for distillation of spirit and persons holding licence for possession and use of rectified spirit were permitted to manufacture country liquor. The sample of country liquor drawn from manufactories, warehouses and retail sale licensees are tested at the Drugs Control Laboratory. Table No. 2 shows the names of the licensed country liquor manufactories and quantity of country liquor manufactured.

TABLE No. 1—PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOL, AHMADNAGAR DISTRICT

(Figures in Lakh Bulk litres)

TABLE No. 2—STATISTICS OF COUNTRY LIQUOR, AHMADNAGAR DISTRICT, UPTO JUNE 1974

(Figures in lakhs)

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