HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Nov 22: Assam Governor Gulab Chand Kataria conducted a meeting at Raj Bhavan to assess the activities of the Excise Department. Rakesh Kumar, the Commissioner and Secretary to the Department, presented an overview, highlighting the department’s mission to regulate alcohol sales and approved liquor in the state. He also outlined efforts to generate revenue while ensuring consumer health, along with key performance indicators and revenue collection trends.
The Commissioner informed the Governor about the recently implemented Transit Pass Mechanism to combat the illegal transit of liquor across state borders. Additionally, he emphasized the initiative of affixing Tamper-free High Security Holograms with QR codes on liquor bottles to protect consumers from counterfeit liquor and prevent duty evasion through the sale of smuggled products.
During the meeting, Governor Kataria stressed the need to increase the conviction rate under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (NDPS) act cases. He urged officials to conduct a thorough review to identify loopholes allowing unscrupulous elements to evade punitive actions for excise-related violations.
Governor Kataria also directed officials to take measures to curb the illegal transportation of liquor from neighboring states. He emphasized the importance of collaboration between Assam police and their counterparts in other states to develop a strategic roadmap to effectively address this issue.
In a separate meeting with the Border Protection and Development Department, Governor Kataria, along with minister of Border Areas Development Atul Bora, discussed measures to enhance border security. Gyanendra Dev Tripathi, the principal secretary of the Department, provided an overview, detailing the background of inter-state boundary disputes and steps taken by the state to find amicable solutions. The meeting also touched upon budgetary allocations and their utilization for securing the state’s boundaries.
Both meetings were attended by senior government officers from the Excise Department, Border Protection and Development Department, and Raj Bhavan.
