Chittoor: This news brings cheers!

The Chittoor District Administration has successfully rehabilitated about 42 families, who were earlier involved in the illicit liquor brewing business in Karvetinagaram Gram Panchayat by providing them with an alternative means of livelihood through the Unnathi scheme.

Unnathi scheme is an initiative of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) that provides financial help to families to start a new beginning.

The District Administration, police and Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) with their efforts and awareness campaigns have motivated the people and communities, who have been involved in illicit brewing, sale and distribution of liquor for the past few generations, to shift to an alternate livelihood.

District Collector Sagili Shan Mohan said that during the visit of Deputy Chief Minister K Narayana Swamy to the SC Colony of Karvetinagaram, had directed the DRDA officials to provide financial assistance under the Unnathi scheme to the communities involved in illicit sale and manufacturing of liquor.

They were provided interest-free loans of Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh to do small business. Thanks to the assistance, now the women of the community are actively involved in rearing sheep, goats, cows and buffaloes for their livelihood.

The DC added that even after raiding the liquor-manufacturing units several times, the residents of the colony did not mend their ways. Unaffected by the punitive measure, the District Administration and the community members mended their ways by gradually shifting them to an alternate livelihood.

Creating awareness among the liquor manufacturers, Chittoor police have successfully pulled out 112 villages prone to illegal liquor manufacturing out of 121 villages in 23 mandals of the district.

The District Administration is also creating awareness among the local population about the ill-effects of making and trading illicit liquor in villages.