Finance Minister walks budget talk:Government to regulate

By Laxmi Maharjan

Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai seems to walk the budget talk. It may be recalled that the Ministry of Finance (MoF) had promised to regulate sale of alcohol during this year's budget. And a month on, the MoF is in the final phase to formulate directives for its ambitious plan.

The MoF is working in tandem with the Home Ministry. Shankar Prasad Adhikari, joint secretary, monitoring division, MoF, said the strategy would be ready by October 31. "Two separate committees have been formed. They are headed by the director general and deputy director general, Inland Revenue Department. Each of these committees will also have representatives from Home and Finance ministries, Nepal Police, National Vigilance Centre and alcohol manufacturers' organisations," explained the senior official. The MoF has notified the shopkeepers to either sell the existing stock or return it to distributors by November 15.

"The regulation will come into effect from November 16. It will forbid both sale and consumption of liquor except at designated places. For instance, a departmental store will have a separate enclosure for alcohol," he added. According to Adhikari, the crackdown on the sale of hard drinks is in keeping with Home Minister Bamdev Gautam's pledge. Drinking is perceived to be one of the major causes behind the soaring crime rate and other social ills.

The government also plans to strictly monitor the drinking age. From now on, consumers have to furnish their citizenship certificates while buying alcohol. Substitutes to citizenship certificates, too, are under consideration. "The alcohol manufacturers may protest the move. But we are confident of cooperation from the civil society," said Adhikari.

Meanwhile, Mod Raj Dotel, spokesperson, Home Ministry, expressed "complete ignorance" about the plan to regulate sale of alcohol. The spokesperson is also unaware of the coordination between his ministry and the MoF.
Source: THT