CHAPTER-I

INTRODUCTION
 INTRODUCTION

There is a popular belief that India, since ancient days, has always been
totally opposed to the evil of drinking. But there is plenty of evidence to the
contrary, in the epics, puranas and other literary sources, and in the myths and
legends of the land, apart from the evidence provided by verifiable historical facts.
The practice of drinking regularly for pleasure, or occasionally during religious
rites, festivals and ‘sacrifices’, seems to have been near universal, from princes
down to paupers. In the epic Ramayana, when prince Rama was banished to the
forests, the entire grief-stricken population of Ayodhya followed him out of the city,
offering to go with him into exile. It is described, in the poem that the deserted city,
emptied of its citizens, then looked like a tavern abandoned by its patrons. The
obvious inference is that the times of Ramayana were familiar with taverns, drink,
and drunkards.

In the other famous epic, the Mahabharata, it is said that both Krishna and
Arjuna enjoyed drinking together freely. During the ‘Aswamedha’ sacrifice of
Yudhisthira drink flowed so freely that the place of sacrifice looked like a sea of
liquor. Drinking to an excess on such occasions obviously, had religious sanction.
But drink was no less popular on ordinary days, especially among the royalt. Queen
Sudheshna wife of king Virat, sends Draupadi (now in disguise as the queen’s
maid) to her notorious brother Keechaka to fetch a choice wine. Another instance
from the Mahabharata may be mentioned. King Salya, being loyal to the Pandavas
was on his way to join them for the Kurukshetra war, the Kauravas met him on the
way and won him over to their side by exploiting his ordinate love of drink. In the

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several myths and legends concerning gods, goddesses, semi-divine beings, demons
and others their love of drink is so obvious that it needs no special mention.

Historically, even during the time of the Indus Valley Civilization, there
seems to have been a general love of drink and people of all sections of society
consumed one type of drink or other, for the pleasure of it ‘Ira’ and ‘Masara’ were
two popular drinks during that period. In the Vedic period an intoxicating drink
called ‘Sura’ prepared from fermented barley was in vogue. The drinking habit
seems to have been common among the lower strata of society and there was no
social taboo against it among them. Among the tribals, communal participation in
drinking, and ritualistic drinking was common. This practice continues even to this
day.

However, there is also evidence to state that even in the remote part of
India’s history it was realized that drink was an evil, social and moral, and therefore
it was condemned in clear terms. The Brahmins, who belonged to the upper stratum
of society, abstained from intoxicating liquors, as they realized that they were very
harmful to physical and mental health. During the Buddhist and Jain periods of
India’s history, the menace of drink had become so alarming that the Buddha and
Mahavira had to warn sternly their respective followers to abstain from it. They
permitted, however, medicinal use of wine.

There is a mythical story which may be recalled in this context. Sage

Sukracharya, who was the guru of the Asuras, was known to have a great weakness
for intoxicating drinks. Knowing this weakness of this, the Asuras played a cruel
practical joke upon him. They offered him a drink in which were mixed the ashes
of the dead body of Kacha, the son of Devaguru Brihaspathi who was a favourite
disciple of Sukra himself. Gladly Sukracharya quaffed the drink, totally unaware
that he was also drinking off the mortal remains of his disciple. When he came to

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know of the ghastly truth and the gravity of sin he had committed, though
unwittingly, because of his weakness for drink, he declared that whoever took
intoxicants would be committing a monumental sin.

There were others who condemned drinking not only as a sin but as a great
social evil. Manu, regarded by the Indians as the representative, man father of the
human race, and other first king and to whom the Code of laws known as
Manusmriti is attributed, seems to have taken a very strict attitude towards the
practices of drinking. In his laws, he recommended stern punishment to those who
were indulging in drinking. He even advocated that this dreaded evil should be
eradicated from human society once for all.

All the great religion practiced in India have opposed the habit of taking
intoxicating drinks and warned people against the great harm it does to man and
society. But despite warnings, threats, and persuasions, the evil has persisted and
become so widespread, as to have reached alarming proportion devitalizing the
society socially, economically and morally. What is more, during the many
centuries in the past, there does not seem to have been a concerted and large-scale
movement in our country to resists the menace of drink and try to eradicate it.
Therefore it is particularly significant that a little more than a century ago the Indian
National Congress should have taken a keen interest in the problem and make a
beginning in united effort to contain this evil. Early in the present century
prohibition of alcoholic drinks was made an important and integral part of the
national struggle for freedom.

In a democracy, the public policies pave the way for quality and quantity of
development interventions. The public policies influence the system of governed as
well as programmes in every sphere of development be it in rural or urban areas.

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The essential feature of democratic governing system is to attend the socio-
economic needs of general public.

A study of public policy, the way it is formulated and implemented and its
impact on the changing role of the state is of paramount significance in both
developed and developing countries. In the context of studies on Political Science
and Public Administration, the study of public policy always generates interest
among the academicians, administrators, policy makers and planners. The study of
public policy acquired importance since it is the principal interest through which
positive intervention is possible. This has an added significance in the field of
Prohibition and Excise because Prohibition have become the powerful instruments
of socio-economic and cultural transformation and Excise is the most important in
terms of revenue generation to the State.

So, the present study focuses its attention on Prohibition and Excise policy
and analyses it with special reference to the State of Andhra Pradesh. The
Prohibition and Excise Department is a major regulatory Department in the State,
with 11,365 employees under its administrative control. The Department is
entrusted with the responsibility of regulation of intoxicants and alcoholic
preparations which include their production, distribution, consumption and usage of
both for potable and industrial purposes.

The major functions of the department include realization of revenue in the

form of Excise Duty, license fees, etc., arresting revenue pilferage and control of
crime relating to intoxicants and alcoholic preparations. The main thrust of control
is on the manufacture and circulation of spurious liquor, illicitly distilled liquor and
inflow of non-duty paid liquor. Another major area of focus is control of
adulteration of toddy as it poses a serious threat to the health of the consumers. The

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Department is also entrusted with the responsibility of controlling production and
sale of Narcotic Drugs and psychotropic substances including cultivation Ganja.

Moreover, major responsibility entrusted to the Department is regulation of

drawl and sale of toddy on one hand, and taking care of the well being of the toddy
tapers, who undertake a very strenuous job of climbing tress for taping toddy, by
extending welfare measures like payment of exgratia and old age pensions. The
Departmental organization is headed by a Senior I.A.S. officer as Commissioner of
Prohibition and Excise who is assisted by Senior Officers in the Head Office. The
department has eight wings to carry out its activities, namely:

1. Executive Wing

2. Enforcement Wing

3. Distilleries & Breweries Wing

4. Technical Wing

5. Audit & Accounts Wing

6. Training Wing

7. Andhra Pradesh Geetha parisramika Sahakara Arthika Samkshema Samstha

Hyderabad, and

8. A.P Beverages Corporation Limited.

NEED FOR THE STUDY

The integrated State of Andhra Pradesh came into existence in the year 1956.
The State of Andhra Pradesh has an area of 275,045 sq.km. The State is divided into
three regions viz. Costal Andhra (9 Districts), Rayalaseema (4 Districts) and

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Telangana (10 Districts). According to 2011 census in Andhra Pradesh population is
8, 46, 65,553. The population density is 308 per square km. Sex ratio is 992 females
per 1000 males. According to 2011 Census Report the literacy rate is 67.66 %
Andhra Pradesh is often called Rice Granary bowl of South India. The agriculture is
the primary sector of the economy employing the largest segment of the working
population. Nearly 70 % of the population of the state is dependent on agriculture.
There are 53 Excise units in 23 districts. Excise revenue is the second largest
revenue to the State exchequer next to sales tax.

Article 47 of the Indian Constitution enjoins that the State shall endeavor to
bring about prohibition of consumption, except for medicinal purposes, of all
intoxicating drinks which are injurious to health. The Andhra Pradesh (Andhra
Area) Prohibition Act, 1937, which satisfied the above Constitutional mandate, was
in force in the Andhra area of the State of Andhra Pradesh until the 30th October,
1969. Prohibition was lifted in the Andhra Area of the State also with effect from
the 1st November 1969. But the Telangana region was never under Prohibition.
Responding to popular demand for imposing Prohibition, the Government banned
sale of Arrack first in Nellore district with effect from April, 1993 and later
extended the ban to the entire State with effect from October 1993. Sale of IMFL
however, continued. Pursuant to the demand from the women folk, the Government
imposed total Prohibition, except toddy in the State with effect from 16-1-1995.

However, taking into account the experience gained in implementing

prohibition and the growing menace of illicit and smuggling of liquor from across
the borders, the Government took a decision to permit the sale of liquor and beer
with effect from April, 1997. The ban arrack is, however, continued.

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 Thus, the prohibition and Excise policy has undergone many changes from
time to time and so there is a dire need to know the effect of these changes. A very
few studies have been made by the individual researchers to evaluate the Excise and
Prohibition policy in the State. However, they are made before the restructuring of
the Department during 2008-2009 and recasting of rules. The restructuring of rules
and regulations was made for better implementation of the Excise policy. Hence, it
is pertinent to know as to how far this restructure has helped for reorientation and
effective implementation of the policy. Hence, the present study is a modest attempt
in that direction.

METHODOLOGY

The data collected through primary and secondary sources. The primary data
are gathered through personal discussions with the officers and employees of
Prohibition and Excise Department of Government of Andhra Pradesh. Further, the
data are collected from the cross sections of the manufactures, sellers and
consumers of liquor by contacting them in the field at random of at various places in
the State. The Secondary data are elicited from the relevant acts and rules, reports,
publications, Annual reports, official records, reports of the various committees
submitted from time to time. In addition, several books, periodicals magazines and
newspapers are referred to.

HYPOTHESES

1. Prohibition helps people to safe guard their health and economy.

2. Excise policy is a major source of revenue to the State Exchequer.

3. Both Prohibition and Excise are public Policies contributes towards the
welfare of the society

4. The present machinery is effective for implementation of the policy.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1. To trace the genesis and growth of Excise and Prohibition Policy in

Andhra Pradesh.

2. To analyse the changes made in the policy from time to time in the state.

3. To assess the Anti-Arrack Movement in Andhra Pradesh.

4. To explain the organizational structure of the department of Excise and

Prohibition policy in Andhra Pradesh and

5. To examine the structural functional analysis of the organization.

TOOLS OF ANALYSIS

The data drown from several sources have been properly tabulated,
synthesized and analysed with the help of percentages and averages. In addition,
suitable statistical tools and techniques also applied at appropriate context.

PLAN OF THE STUDY (CHAPTERIZATION)

The present thesis is divided into seven chapters

First Chapter Introduces the subject

Second Chapter traces the Genesis and Growth of Excise and Prohibition Policy in
the State.

Third Chapter analyses the Changes made in the Policy from time to time in the
State

Fourth Chapter assesses the Anti-Arrack Movement in Andhra Pradesh.

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Fifth Chapter explains the Organizational Structure of the department of
Prohibition and Excise.

Sixth Chapter examines the Structural-Functional Analysis of the Organisation.

Seventh Chapter Summarizes and Concludes the Study.