Excise Minister V. Srinivas Gaur has said that the cabinet’s decision to give reservation to the Gaur community, SC and ST in allotment of liquor shops is first of its kind which is set to become another trend setter in the country.
The decision has caught the attention of many states across the country and officials and elected representatives from states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra have shown interest in knowing about the finer details of the scheme. The decision follows the Chief Minister’s resolve to abolish tree tax on toddy tappers, thereby opening multiple outlets at GHMC limits and other places.
The Minister held a meeting of the representatives of these communities on Friday and thanked the Chief Minister for taking such a decision which would pave the way for empowerment of the communities dependent on it.
The previous governments had failed to come to the rescue of these communities, especially toddy makers, despite repeated representations. But Mr. Chandrashekhar Rao had proved his commitment to the upliftment of these sections through several initiatives ranging from the abolition of the tree tax imposed on these communities and the issuance of licenses to them. This step is a way towards effective implementation of Dalit Bandhu as beneficiaries can also choose liquor shops as their units under the scheme.