The government is focussing on modernising the Excise department to equip it to face modern-day challenges, Minister for Excise M.B. Rajesh has said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the construction of the Amaravila Excise range office at Amaravila on Tuesday.
The Minister said the challenges faced today by the department were different from that faced 15 years ago. Drugs had become a major threat. Proliferation of synthetic drugs that were difficult to detect too had to be checked. The department staff often came under attack while taking action to detect such drugs. They put their lives at risk during the course of such operations.
The Amaravila Excise range office is being built at a cost of ₹1.3 crore as part of the 100-day programme in connection with the third anniversary of the government. The range office would help to improve functioning of the department in the border area by strengthening surveillance and making effective interventions.
As many as 102 Excise offices were functioning from rented buildings. The construction of Excise offices was under way as part of the government policy to construct buildings for all such offices that were functioning from rented structures. The department was also getting modern facilities such interrogation rooms, modern technology for case investigation, and latest vehicles, he said.
The department’s Vimukthi project that provided counselling, rehabilitation, and treatment recommendations was a model for the country, the Minister said.
K. Ansalan, MLA, presided over the function. Excise Commissioner Mahipal Yadav spoke.
