42% People consume Alcohol in Odisha in Naveen Era: Congress

ONI Bureau: The Odisha Congress accused ruling BJD of making tall claims about development across the State, while the ground reality remains different.

“While 42% people consuming alcohol in Odisha in Naveen Era, the Biju yuva vahini launching ‘Jana Sampark Padayatra’ and various nashamukti abhiyan across the state today to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, looks like making a mockery of people’s trust,” says Congress.

“As per the statistics, consumption of alcohol has gone up by 41.3% in rural areas and around 40% in urban area. Similarly, per capita alcohol consumption in Odisha, which stood at 700 ml in 2001, has risen to 5 litre in 2017,” Congress says.

Odisha Government had collected Rs 2557 crore revenue during financial year 2015-16 and received Rs 2786.23 crore in 2016-17. In 2017-18, the Govt collected 3211.03 crore, Congress said.

As per report, the total liquor sales in 2014-15 have touched a new high of around 1,900 lakh litres against 250 lakh litres in 2000-01.

Worth mentioning, in 2012, at least 33 people died after consuming spurious liquor at Balianta in the outskirts of capital Bhubaneswar in Khurda district.

Reportedly, Odisha Government’s Excise Policy 2016-17 reigns in beer process in order to encourage consumption as the Government has also reduced the price of beer by Rs 10 to Rs 15 to encourage consumption reportedly.