Happy hours only for 3 hours in U’khand
Uttarakhand will soon go partially dry with the state’s BJP government deciding to impose a time restriction on the sale of liquor.
“Liquor sale will now be allowed only for a fixed period, from 3pm to 6pm. Liquor traders won’t be allowed to do business for 14-15 hours a day as had been the practice earlier,” chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat announced on Tuesday.
The revenue loss from the ‘partial ban’ will be compensated from “various other sources”, he added.
The hill state earns around ₹2,000 crore annually from the excise revenue. The government is also contemplating to amend the Excise Act to make it more stringent.
“The excise law will also be amended so that strongest possible action can be taken against those engaged in illicit liquor trade,” the CM said.
Rawat said punishment for illicit liquor trade would be so severe under the amended excise law that no one would dare to engage in such business.
Officials have already been directed to prepare the draft of the amended law for tabling in the assembly for its passage.
Rawat, however, made it clear that his government had no plan to impose a blanket ban on the sale and consumption of liquor in the state. He said a total prohibition is not feasible in Uttarakhand in view of a large number of tourists visiting the state.
Citing that how a complete ban in Haryana under the chief ministership of Bansi Lal had failed with even women hitting the streets seeking withdrawal of prohibition, Rawat hinted how such a step could even lead to a spike in hooch consumption.
He also claimed the prohibition imposed by the Bihar government had considerably hit trade and business in that state.