IMPHAL, December 15: The state excise department has initiated a special drive against the illegal selling of liquor in the Greater Imphal area ahead of the ensuing general election 2012 in the state, informed the commissioner excise department, RK Joy Singh this morning.
Speaking to media persons on the issue during a press conference this morning, the commissioner further informed that the department has taken up a special drive against selling of liquor at liquor vendors concentrated in the Greater Imphal areas so as to control any untoward incident during and before the ensuing election.
The personnel of the state excise department assisted by personnel of Lamphel police conducted the special drive at Nagamapal Punshi keithel, Lamphel Super market and Naoremthong areas, during which the team managed to seize 1200 litres of contraband country liquor and the same was destroyed in front of media persons at the Lamphel excise department office today.
Further speaking at the conference held at the excise office at Lamphelpat, he maintained that the excise department has been contributing maximum financial resources to the state government through tax collected from excise duties.
He further stated that the department is targeting to collect a total of Rs 12.11 crores as revenue during this year. He further stated that the department has achieved the collection of revenue through taxes amounting to Rs 6.34 crores by August this year and there has been an accumulated collection of taxes from various sources, he added.
It is very unfortunate for his department that it cannot work independently in the mobilization of revenues, due to lack of proper infrastructure, manpower and equipments which the state government should look into at the earliest.