VIJAYAWADA: Officials of the Excise Department on Saturday urged the State Government to provide necessary infrastructure to the department and change the existing policy of fixing targets to officials in terms of sale of liquor.

The officials listed their woes at a review meeting conducted by Excise Minister Jakkampudi Rammohan Rao at the Sub-Collector's office here. Officials from Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and Nellore districts participated in the meeting.

The officials listed problems like non-availability of vehicles and insufficient staff. They said traders were obtaining licence by paying a higher amount and selling liquor as per targets. There were situations when officials forced traders to lift the stock from the godown to reach the targets, they said.

Even as the officials were urging the Minister not to punish them in the event of traders selling liquor at a price higher than the MRP, Vuyyuru MLA K. Parthasarathi alleged that the officials collided with traders. Mr. Rammohan Rao, however, asked officials to submit their problems in writing so he could pursue them. He said 1,000 male constables and 500 female constables would be recruited soon. He advised officials to curb the sale of illicit liquor and not to allow belt shops. Liquor should be sold at its MRP only, he said.

Ministers Pinnamaneni Venkateswara Rao, Mandali Buddha Prasad, MLAs Perni Venkata Ramayya (Nani), Yerneni Raja Ramachander, Muddaraboina Venkateswara Rao, Vangaveeti Radhakrishna, MLC Ilapuram Venkaiah, and VGTM-UDA chairman Malladi Vishnu were present.

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