Govt allows up to 20% relaxation in liquor sale quota
CHANDIGARH : The Punjab excise and taxation department has allowed a relaxation of up to 20% in the minimum guarantee quota for the sale of liquor from May 7 to June 30.
It means during the 55-day period, the sale of liquor for 5 to 11 days will be free of all taxes. While the relaxation is 20% in the municipal jurisdiction of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana, it will be 10% in the rest of the state.
Amendments in the excise policy for the current financial year were cleared on Wednesday. The state government has already exempted the contractors for 36 days from April 1 to May 6, by waiving the minimum guarantee quota.
“We can’t get a better deal than this,” said Anil Mahajan, a Hoshiarpur-based liquor contractor. The exemptions announced are subsequent to a report submitted by the group of ministers (GoM) constituted by CM Amarinder Singh on May 12. The GoM comprises cabinet ministers Manpreet Singh Badal (finance), Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria (water resources), Vijay Inder Singla (school education) and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot (forests).
On January 31, the government had passed the excise policy for the 2020-21 financial year and fixed ₹6,200 crore revenue target.
“Since the situation is still volatile, there is a possibility of an extended lockdown. In such a scenario, proportionate reduction should be given in the minimum guarantee revenue on the lines of initial 36 days when liquor vends remained shut,” reads the amendment in the excise policy.
INTERCHANGE BEER QUOTA WITH LIQUOR
On the demand of contractors, the excise and taxation department has allowed to interchange the beer quota with the country-made or Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL).
The state government has already announced to impose Covid cess on liquor sale with effect from June 1. The move will help the government mop up an additional revenue of ₹145 crore in the current financial year. The cess varies from ₹2 to ₹50 depending on the type of liquor and beer.
SALE OF LIQUOR FOR 11 DAYS IN AMRITSAR, JALANDHAR, LUDHIANA CITIES AND FOR 5-6 DAYS IN THE REST OF THE STATE WILL BE FREE OF ALL TAXES