Wine shops told to install CCTVs

The state government has announced a new excise policy for 2017-19, that will come into force from October 1.

Under the new rules, it is mandatory for retail liquor shops to install at least two CCTV cameras on the licensed premises. The cameras will be linked to the excise control room located in the excise department.

Principal Secretary Revenue (Commercial taxes & Excise) G. Somesh Kumar, justified the compulsory installation of cameras on the grounds that it will check antisocial elements as well as adulteration of liquor in the shops.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Mr Kumar said that the state government issued orders on the new excise policy on Tuesday and the notification will be issued on Wednesday calling for applications for retail liquor shops. Applications will be received from September 13 to 19 up to 5 pm. If there is more than one application for one shop, the selection will be through a lottery on September 22.

The application fee has been increased from `50,000 to `1 lakh, and is not refundable. The application fee earned the state government `155 crore in the previous time, and this is expected to increase to `250 crore in the course of the next two years.

The licence is for two years and the population slab has been reduced from 6 to 4. For a population of upto 50,000, the retail shop excise tax is `45 lakh, for 50,001 to 5 lakh population it is `55 lakh, and for 5,00,001 to 1 lakh population it is `85 lakh. Above 20 lakh population, the licence fee is `1.10 crore.

In Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits liquor shops can be open from 11 am to 11pm as earlier.

The state government earned `1260 crore in excise revenue in the current excise year, and expects `1360 crore in the ensuing excise year. The number of retail shops will remain the same at 2216.