Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Monday introduced stringent measures against liquor adulteration, approving the seizure of the seller's property.
The seller's licence will also be cancelled after the first offence besides the registration of a case under the National Security Act and the Gangster Act, an official release stated. Earlier, a violator was fined Rs 40,000 for the first offence, Rs 50,000 for second and then the cancellation of licence for the third.
The decision assumes significance in the wake of hooch tragedies in different parts of the state, which claimed several lives.
The state Cabinet, whose meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, also approved an amendment to the municipal corporation property tax rules to remove anomalies in the classification of properties.
If a shop measuring 120 sq ft is operational in a residential area, its owner will now have to pay 1.5 times the property tax. Earlier, the shopkeeper had to shell five times the property tax prevailing in that area.
The decision is likely to benefit small shopkeepers selling tea, milk and vegetables etc. The sale of liquor above the MRP will also invite higher fine and the cancellation of licence.
Under the amended rules, the first offence will invite a fine of Rs 75,000; the second Rs 1.5 lakh and the third will lead to the cancellation of licence. Earlier, the violators paid Rs 10,000 for the first offence, Rs 20,000 for the second and Rs 30,000 for the third.
In a bid to make funds available to the Lucknow and Ghaziabad municipal corporations, the Uttar Pradesh government gave its nod to float municipal bonds. The UP government will try to raise Rs 200 crore for the Lucknow MC and Rs 150 crore for the Ghaziabad civic body from the market through the bonds.
The money raised through the bonds for the Lucknow civic body will be used to improve the drinking water supply and the sewage system while the Ghaziabad MC will use it for the tertiary treatment of water for industrial usage.
An unauthorised use of the state government's logo has also been made a punishable offence. Under the new rule, a jail term up to two years and Rs 5,000 fine would be imposed if found guilty, the release read.
The Cabinet also approved the transfer of 43.48 hectares from the Agricultural Department to the Industrial Development Department in Aligarh for the construction of a defence corridor.
Around 2,500 acres have already been acquired, with most land falling in the Bundelkhand region. The Cabinet also relaxed rules with regard to the promotion of police inspectors. The vacancy of the Joint Director, Backward Classes Welfare Department, would be filled up soon, the release added.
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