Excise department, which is the fourth highest revenue-generating department in the state, is grappling with shortage of workforce and funds besides lack of inputs from intelligence.
This was disclosed to Nagaland Post, by additional commissioner of excise Kevisetuo Angami who said that the department, comprising of 325 excise personnel in the field were ill-equipped and with meagre resources.
Angami said currently, the total strength of excise personnel comprised of six superintendents of excise(SE), of which three posts were vacant in Mon, Tuensang and Mokokchung. He said proposals were sent to fill the vacant posts. In addition, he said there were four deputy inspectors, 26 inspectors, 28 assistant inspectors, 36 head constables . He said that out of 231 constables 16 constables would be retiring within March.
Angami said the department needed mobility, connectivity and secret fund for intelligence input which were vital for the smooth functioning of the department. He informed that the main source of detections took place at check gate points while the other was intelligence inputs.
He said that the duty of the excise department were mainly on preventive measures to curb possession, sale, consumption, manufacture and transportation of liquor besides smuggling of goods and other narcotic drugs.
Further, he pointed out that altogether there were seven check posts in the state—three in Dimapur, two in Kohima, one each in Mokokchung and Kiphire. He said that five outposts, two in Mon, one in Mokokchung and two in Phek, were headed by inspector excise.
On the allegation that the department personnel were collecting tax, he said if any of the personnel was involved, a complaint should be brought to the notice of the department with a concrete proof so that action would be taken.
On the difficulties faced by the department while enforcing NLTP Act, he sought active participation from all stakeholders including NGOs, police and administration. Angami said time has come for all responsible, especially the churches and civil society organisations to work together in implementing the Act.
He however, lamented that despite liquor ban in the state, sale of spurious alcohol has only increased as the state was sandwiched between two states where liquor was not prohibited. He said that the department comprising of its three units—narcotics cell, mobile squad and district excise—have also been conducting several raids in suspected liquor outlets, restaurants, lounges, hotels etc.
As per the annual administrative report (2020-2021), the department during the financial year 2020-21 (April 2020 to December 2020) detected a total of 1187 cases wherein 1188 person were arrested; seven narcotics and other drug cases were registered and 1180 cases of liquor was registered.
Contraband worth Rs. 431 lakh (street value) were seized that included Ganga 480 kg, brown sugar 3.510 kg, cough syrup-2159 bottles, other drugs 6125 capsules, 32,080 bottles of IMFL, 10,874 bottles of beer and 1795 litres of country-made liquor.
As per the report, revenue earning in the department since the introduction of Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act 1989 has been reduced drastically (See table).