Andhra Pradesh To Go Dry As Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy Promised

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh is set to go dry in phases as Chief Minister-designate Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy appears determined to implement prohibition, one of his major election promises.

As the young leader is scheduled to take oath as Chief Minister on May 30, all eyes will be on the first file he will sign.

The YSR Congress Party chief has remained non-committal on the first orders he will give but said implementing ‘Navaratnalu' (nine gems) will be his priority. Prohibition was one of the nine welfare schemes promised by his party during the campaign.

Storming to power with a landslide victory, YSRCP is now facing a challenge in banning alcohol, given the failed experiment in undivided Andhra Pradesh and the strain the move may impose on the State’s already fragile economy.

Financial assistance to farmers, students’ fee reimbursement, health insurance, construction of irrigation projects, increase in social security pension and prohibition were among Jagan’s ‘Navaratnalu’. While implementation of eight schemes requires mobilization of additional resources to the tune of Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 crore, prohibition requires the government to give up a source of revenue.

For 2019-20, the state had set a target of Rs 7,358 crore excise duty, which is levied on sale of alcohol. The revenue from excise duty was Rs 5,789 crore in the previous year. (IANS)

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