: One of Jagans 9 manifesto gems, Prohibition loses out to pragmatism #IndiaNEWS #National By Mohammed ShafeeqAmaravati, July 31 (IANS) Three years after coming to power, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP)

One of Jagans 9 manifesto gems, Prohibition loses out to pragmatism #IndiaNEWS #National
By Mohammed ShafeeqAmaravati, July 31 (IANS) Three years after coming to power, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government in Andhra Pradesh has gone back on its promise to enforce total prohibition.
While the states critical financial position is believed to have forced the government led by Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to take a U-turn, the ruling party so far maintaining silence on the issue and at times even reiterating its commitment to the promise of total prohibition.
A statement made by a Minister on Saturday clearly indicates that total prohibition is no longer on the governments agenda.
When mediapersons asked Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath why the government went back on its promise, he claimed that YSRCP did not make any such promise. There is no talk of total prohibition in our manifesto. See the manifesto and if you find that we have not fulfilled a promise, then question us, he said.
We had merely said that the price of (retail) liquor will be increased to more than the price of liquor available in five-star hotels.
He claimed that the party talked of creating a situation where a person thinking of boozing should get a shock.
Amarnath even challenged the mediapersons to go and check the YSRCP election manifesto saying its available in all government offices.
The YSRCP manifesto for 2019 elections clearly mentions the promise of liquor. The promise to ban the sale of alcohol was one of ‘Navaratnalu or nine gems, as the party called its promise of welfare schemes.
The YSRCP promises to put in place a ban on sale of alcohol across the state in three stages, reads the English text of ‘Navaratnalu.
It was during his state-wide ‘padyatra before the 2019 elections that Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised to women that if voted to power his party would implement total prohibition. After assuming office in May 2019, the Chief Minister announced that prohibition would be enforced in phases and finally consumption of liquor will be confined to five-star hotels only.
The promise was part of the detailed manifesto of the YSRCP in the 2019 elections.
Liquor is dividing families and ruining human relations. Thats why after coming to power, we will ban liquor in three phases. Liquor will be confined to only five-star hotels, reads the manifesto in Telugu.
Jagan Mohan Reddy had planned to implement prohibition in phases.
Under the first phase, he proposed to increase awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol and reduce the number of liquor shops.
In the second, it was proposed to increase taxes on liquor to discourage the poor and middle class from buying it.
Under the third and final phase, alcohol will only be available in five-star hotels and those found brewing or selling liquor will be jailed, it was announced.