The Kerala government will recruit 100 youth, including women, from various tribal hamlets across the state as excise civil officers, Excise and Local Self Government Minister M V Govindan said here on Saturday.

In view of reported inflow of banned contrabands in the hamlets, local tribal youth from there would be appointed to the posts through special recruitment to tackle this issue, he said.

The flow of illicit drugs into the southern state seems to be on the rise nowadays and it has become a menace mainly affecting youth, the minister said.

"In this backdrop, 100 tribal youth including women will be appointed as excise civil officers under special recruitment," he said.

Govindan was speaking after inaugurating the passing out parade of 126 women civil excise officers of the eighth batch and seven civil excise officers of the 25th batch, who completed 180 days of basic training, at the Excise Academy Parade Ground.

Noting that those recruited as excise civil officers are highly qualified these days, the minister said they are capable of reviving the department.

But there are people who still indulge in corruption and there won't be any compromise to such wrong practices, he said and warned stringent action against wrongdoers.?