HANAMKONDA : Once a hub of illicit liquor, Ratnagiri tanda in Bheemadevarapalli mandal is now a living example of what transformation looks like. A community once bound by necessity, is now unbound by opportunity. The seeds of change, sown in the fields of education, have blossomed into a generation of government employees, a ripple effect that transformed a village.

Just two decades ago, this tribal hamlet survived by brewing illicit liquor. At least one member of each family used to be involved in the illicit liquor trade. However, a ban on liquor in the past brought about change. Today, around 25 Scheduled Tribe (ST) families have found a stable livelihood through dairy farming. Each family earns between Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000 per month by selling milk. Not just improvement in their lives, now, at least one member from each family has secured employment in government organisations, serving in urban areas across Telangana.

Speaking to TNIE, a resident, Banoth Raju, says, “During the tenure of NT Rama Rao as chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh, almost every family in the village was involved in illicitly distilled liquor production for survival.”

Banoth Raju, also known as Pedda Raju, has two sons who are government employees. His elder son, Dr Deshai Kumar, works in a government hospital and recently completed his MD in paediatrics in Chennai. His second son, Ashok Raj Singh, is employed in a bank, while his son-in-law is an assistant engineer in Hyderabad.

“At that time, when he imposed a liquor ban, we initially saw it as a setback. However, over the years, government policies changed, and we received support through various welfare schemes. We shifted our focus to dairy farming and agriculture, which provided us with a sustainable livelihood. Recognising the importance of education, we ensured our children received quality schooling.

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