Telangana govt to set up ‘Neera’ stalls across the state, starting with Hyderabad

The Telangana government will soon open Neera stalls across the state, starting with Hyderabad. Ministers KT Rama Rao, T Harish Rao and V Srinivas Goud unveiled the new policy on the sale of Neera on Monday.   Neera is a drink extracted from toddy palm, which turns into toddy on fermentation.   The Neera stalls will be set up first in Hyderabad, along the Outer Ring Road, while the first stall is expected to be opened near Tank Bund. The production and sale of Neera will then be extended to all districts of Telangana in a phased manner. The idea of selling food items from Telangana at the stalls was also floated.   The licence for production and sale of Neera will only be given to members of the Goud community. Excise Minister Srinivas Goud said that the initiative will provide livelihood to members of toddy tapper communities.   Talking about the advantages of the initiative, Srinivas Goud said that apart from providing livelihood, the medicinal values of the drink will also benefit people. The minister also said that Neera is proven to help reduce diabetes. “Neera has been produced in Telangana for hundreds of years. Chemical lab reports have shown that it has medicinal properties,” said Goud.   He also mentioned that the production, supply and sale of the drink is high in countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, with the USA also recently starting the practice.   Thanking Chief Minister KCR for fulfilling his election promise, Goud also said that under KCR’s leadership, caste-based occupations will be restored to their ‘former glory’. Besides, welfare programmes will be implemented for all caste-based occupations, as “80 percent of the population is dependent on these professions.” It was also announced that self-respect ‘bhavans’ will be constructed in Hyderabad for all castes.