�Endeavour 2020-21� magazine show case Exise deptt works

Jammu, 27-Aug-2020

The Excise Department in order to show case the performance achieved in last 5 months has published a magazine titled �Endeavour 2020-21�.
The magazine carries out the details of the functioning of the Department and the achievements recorded in last 5 months. It has been put on record that the department faced challenges during Covid-19, but yet has met a target of 358 crores despite closure of shops over a long period and the other restrictions put on the assembly of customers. It is pertinent to mention that the present Excise Commissioner Mr. R.K. Shavan joined on 3rd of March, 2020 and the Department despite lockdowns showed tremendous progress in streamlining the Department. The liquor shops, Bars and Restaurants remained closed till 20th May, 2020, but the Department till today has earned 357 crores revenue.
The 150 number of bars and restaurants are still closed. However, the Canteen Stores Department were also opened on 20th of May, 2020. The Department has also taken a massive campaign against drug abuse and Cannabis Bhang destruction and destroyed Poppy from 3620 canals of land from Kashmir Valley. Continuing the same drive to aware public about drug abuse and also sensitize the Field Agency, the Excise Commissioner visited first time in the history of Department far flung areas like Gurez-Tulail of Bandipura district and Duddu-Basantgarh of Udhampur district. The intensive checkings and verifications of shops have resulted into removal of anomalies and evasion of duties, which have been recovered from the defaulting licensees. An amount of Rs. 40 lacs has been imposed as fine in 5 months. The Department has also undertaken the job of maintenance of assets and protection of the landed property by giving direction to the Excise and Taxation Officers to get the land mapped and demarcated by the Revenue Agency, so the no encroachment is allowed on the land of Finance Department. In the Peak Covid-19 days, the Department contributed 2 crores towards Lieutenant Governor�s Relief Fund under CSR rules and also distributed 50 thousand masks and 1 lac Sanitizers in Slum areas, Orphanages and Old age homes. Uder the dynamic leadership of the Financial Commissioner, DR. A.K. Mehta IAS, the Department of Excise has formulated a new Excise Policy which is likely to be issued in the next month. Talking to Media, Mr. R.K. Shavan, Excise Commissioner said that the morale of liquor mafia is down due to continuous checking and verifications started by the Department to plug pilferages and smuggling of liquor. He said 30555 ltrs of illicit Lahan has been destroyed so far and many arrests made under the Excise Act. He said out of frustration some blackmailers are labelling false and frivolous allegations against him in social media and trying to spread negativity and false propaganda to tarnish his image for their vested interests. However, he said it will have no impact on the functioning of the Department rather the blackmailers
will face the tough action under the law. Clearing doubts about the land issue of JDA as circulated in
social media, he said he has nothing to do with any allotment of land. The case referred pertains to the
year 1992, wherein land was allotted and the same has been upheld by various Hon'ble Courts and the demarcation of Deputy Commissioner, Jammu has found no locus-standi of JDA over this patch of land which was upheld by the Hon'ble High Court. He said that Board of Directors of JDA has wisely discussed the issue and directed for recovery and retrieval of the balance land of 158 kanals in same Khasra number, which was pointed out by him during his tenure. He said that it is during his time that 20 thousand kanals of land of JDA was mapped and identified as per the Orders of Hon'ble Court. Mr. Shavan further said, that the Department has re-written the all the Orders/Instructions of Excise Department to plug all loopholes and improve the efficiency of Department. A close watch is being kept to check the Narcotic business.