The Hindu : New Delhi News : Canteen liquor to cost more

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 06, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Canteen liquor to cost more

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JULY 6. Worshippers of Bacchus will have to shell out extra bucks for liquor in the Capital. The Delhi Cabinet today decided to increase excise duty on all brands of liquor available in the Defence Services canteens and announced a price increase of 25 to 75 per cent on country-made liquor. It has also decided to expand the network of private liquor vends besides opening mini liquor outlets in resettlement colonies and slums.

In addition, the Excise Department has approved the much awaited proposal for allowing live singing shows and playing of instruments by professionals in restaurants and simplified the procedures for opening of beer and wine shops in general stores. Farmhouses and banquets would also get licences for serving liquor on their premises, the new Excise Policy for 2004-05 states. Approved in the Cabinet meeting, which was presided over by the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, the new policy is expected to fetch the Government additional revenue of Rs. 80 crores this year.

Giving this information here, the Finance Minister, A.K. Walia, said encouragement would be given to opening of more private liquor vends across the Capital. While Delhi has 312 Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) vends, Mumbai has around 601 and Bangalore around 826. A 20 per cent increase has been effected in the commission that the various Corporations get by selling various brands of liquor. Another review of the various provisions including extending the timings of serving liquor in hotels, restaurants and beer bars, reviewing the licence fee and putting an end to inspector raj would be undertaken shortly.

The existing price of one bottle (750 ml) of country-made liquor is Rs. 40. Now it has been revised to Rs. 55. For pint and nip, the prices have been revised from Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 and Rs. 10 to Rs. 15 respectively. These rates are still less than those prevailing in the neighbouring States of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab. The rates of country liquor had not been revised since 1996-97.

Similarly for the defence personnel, the prices had not been revised for the past 12 years. The rate differential between the liquor sold in Central Stores Department (CSD) and that in open market was very high as a result the CSD liquor often found its way into the open market, adversely affecting the revenue of the Government. Therefore, it was decided to increase the rates between Rs. 50 and Rs. 90 per bottle in the CSD canteens.

Dr. Walia said the area requirement of departmental stores for grant of L-53 license has been reduced from 1,000 sq feet to 500 sq feet. Besides, opening of rental vends of IMFL in private sector in commercial area be allowed as per rules on a case to case basis subject to the condition that the new shops in private sector would be located at a minimum distance of 250 metres from any of the existing liquor vends. The Cabinet also approved opening of mini liquor outlets for sale of cheap IMFL and beer in the resettlement colonies and slums. It also approved the long pending demand for allowing live singing and playing of instruments in L-4 licensee restaurants.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi