By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 31, 2024: The Odisha government has announced creation of a ₹100- crore fund to educate people about the ill-effects of drinking alcohol and consuming drugs or other narcotics items. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its manifesto for the Assembly polls this year had promised prohibition, if elected to power.

A specialised agency would be engaged for developing a multimedia campaign to start awareness drive with the help of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) members, civil society, NGOs and youth clubs/volunteers etc, said, the excise department, which announced the excise policy for the current financial year.

The new excise policy said that no new IMFL (Indian-made foreign liquor) off-shop, country liquor shop and out-still liquor shop will be opened in Odisha during the current financial year. It also said no new liquor on-shops will be opened in rural areas of the state except in three-star or above category hotels. It said licenses of 57 on-shops which were not renewed earlier will not be considered for renewal this year too. Besides, there will be no increase in the minimum guaranteed quota in the current financial year.

The policy has also stopped allowing dance performance on the premises of any on-shop. However, the on-shops may conduct musical performance or orchestra within their licensed premises after obtaining necessary permission. The policy said on-shop license will be granted to Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC)/ India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) hotels at half the rates applicable for license fee, based on their locations. For promoting tourism, serving of liquor in beach shacks would be allowed.