Pay corona cess on booze as liquor vends open in Haryana today
EYE ON REVENUE The government expects to earn ₹350-400 crore annually from the move; step taken to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on exchequer
CHANDIGARH: A cash-strapped Haryana government on Tuesday levied COVID cess on all types of liquor sold in the state. The Cabinet also approved changes in 2020-21 excise policy, necessitated due to COVID-19 outbreak. The steps have been taken to mitigate the impact of COVID on the liquor revenue. Principal secretary, excise and taxation, Anurag Rastogi said the government is expecting to earn Rs 350-400 crore annually from the COVID cess levy.
CABINET ALSO
APPROVED CHANGES IN THE 2020-21 EXCISE POLICY, NECESSITATED DUE TO COVID-19 OUTBREAK
CHANDIGARH: A cash-strapped Haryana government on Tuesday levied Covid cess on all types of liquor sold in the state. Approving the imposition of cess, the Cabinet also approved changes in the 2020-21 excise policy, necessitated due to Covid-19 outbreak.
The steps have been taken to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the liquor revenue.
Excise officials said the Covid cess will be Rs. 5 per quart in case of country liquor, Rs. 20 per quart in case of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), Rs. 5 in case of strong beer, Rs 2 in case of mild beer and Rs. 50 per pack (greater than 375 ML) in case of Imported Foreign Liquor (IFL).It was decided that the excise policy for 2020-21 shall come into force with effect from May 6 and remain effective till May 19, 2021.
Principal secretary (excise and taxation) Anurag Rastogi said the government is expecting to earn Rs 350-400 crore annually from the Covid cess.
“Before the nationwide lockdown was imposed, we had allotted 84% of the vends through e-bidding. The remaining 187 vend will be put under hammer on Thursday,’’ he said.
The validity period of the IMFL, country liquor and other licenses shall be upto May 19, 2021. All the licensees shall operate their licenses at the same license fee at which these were allotted before the outbreak of Covid-19. A Group of Ministers (GoM) headed by excise and taxation minister, Dushyant Chautala has been constituted for redressal of grievances of the stakeholders.
AMENDMENT IN HARYANA VAT ACT
The cabinet also approved an amendment in the Haryana Value Added Tax Act (HVAT), 2003, to enable the government to extend the time limits prescribed under the Act for assessments. This has been done to ensure that assessments for 2016-17 or other proceedings that could not be finalised or initiated due to lockdown could be completed. The amendment shall be carried out by promulgation of an ordinance. As per the amendment, the state government, by notification, will be enabled to extend the time limits specified in, or prescribed or notified in the HVAT Act in respect of actions which could not be completed or complied with due to force majeure (unforeseen events preventing an action). The proposed amendment also empowers the government to give retrospective effect to the notification for extending the time limit.