GUWAHATI, July 14: The Assam Cabinet has decided to approve online sale/purchase and home delivery of liquor within the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) area for a month on experimental basis in order to avoid crowding outside liquor shops in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.
Addressing reporters here after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday evening, state minister Keshab Mahanta said that in the wake of the crowding witnessed outside liquor shops (in the non-curfew hours) and “on the basis of the Supreme Court and Madras High Court directives”, the Cabinet decided to approve in principle, online sale/purchase and home delivery of liquor within the GMC area for a month on experimental basis.”
The Supreme Court had last year left it open for states to consider online sales and home delivery of liquor during the COVID-19 lockdown period to facilitate social distancing.
“Such online sale of liquor will be effective once the notification is issued by the government. The guidelines will be prepared by the state excise department,” the minister said.
It may be recalled that the Meghalaya Cabinet had earlier approved a proposal regarding online sale of liquor and decided to introduce a new rule under the Meghalaya Excise Rules on license for home delivery of liquor.
On the other hand, in continuation of the administrative reforms initiated by the Assam government, the state Cabinet decided to amalgamate the Guwahati Development Department and Urban Development Department into “Housing and Urban Affairs department” so as to facilitate easy and prompt access to funds sanctioned by the Centre.
“Likewise, the Cabinet decided to amalgamate General Administration Department (GAD) and Secretariat Administration Department (SAD) into one department – General Administration Department,” Mahanta said.
The minister further said that the Cabinet decided that the information and public relations department would now directly sanction funds to media houses for the government advertisements published/broadcast in the media.
“So, media houses will not have to wait long for the funds to be sanctioned,” he said.
Mahanta further said that the Cabinet decided to utilise the funds under the 15th Finance Commission in schemes to build schools, Anganwadi houses and parks within villages.