Mumbai (Maharashtra): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday asked the state Excise department to strengthen its informer network to curb liquor smuggling and increase the rewards given to them.
Pawar, who reviewed the work of the department in a meeting, directed that the reward amount for informers be increased to five percent (of the worth of the seizure) from the current two percent, a state government release said.
He said that liquor smuggling was causing huge revenue loss to the state and, therefore, asked the Excise department to increase the number of check posts as well as inspections.
Pawar also said that there was a need to think seriously about curbing deaths from the consumption of spurious 'tadi' (palm wine), the release said.