Telangana Excise Minister Inaugurates Neera Cafe
Last Updated on May 4, 2023, 12:27 am by News Desk
Hyderabad, May 3: Telangana Excise Minister Srinivas Goud, along with Animal Husbandry Minister Srinivas Yadav, inaugurated the ‘Neera Cafe’ at Necklace Road in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
The cafe is in line with the Neera policy of the state, and will be processing and selling the nectar extracted from Palmyra or Indian date palm trees.
Speaking at the inauguration, Minister Srinivas Goud thanked Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (CM KCR) for his efforts in promoting the Geetha (toddy) profession. He also acknowledged the CM for providing Rs 5 lakh insurance to toddy tappers, which is on par with the Rythu Bima insurance scheme. No other state in the country provides this.
Srinivas Goud also mentioned that nearly one lakh Geetha workers above the age of 50 years are receiving Rs. 2016 Aasara pension. Additionally, it was announced that there will be a 15 percent reservation for Gowda social class and 15 percent for SC and ST in the allocation of liquor shops.
He added that the Neera policy has been ambitiously introduced to provide pure and naturally prepared Neera to the people of the state. Only Geetha professionals are allowed to produce and sell Neera in Telangana.
The minister also mentioned that legal action will be taken against those who cut palm trees illegally. He highlighted that the Excise Department has planted about 4 crore 20 lakh palm and swimming saplings in Haritaharam in Telangana to promote the Geetha profession.
Srinivas Goud further informed that the ex gratia for Geetha workers has been increased from Rs. 2 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh. He also noted that 2,34, 576 families belonging to 7,743 toddy shops have benefited by canceling the tax on Palmyra or Indian date palm trees.
Source: UNI
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