Hic, hic, hurray... March ends with cash registers ringing for excise wing
Rs 6,60 crore was collected as renewal fees for the 2018-19 fiscal from 238 establishments including 17 wine shops, 149 permit rooms, 55 beer shops and 17 country liquor vends in the twin-city
The cash registers of the Thane excise wing are ringing loud, following a surge in revenue collections towards renewals of liquor vending units in Mira Bhayandar. This despite odds including- the ban on the sale of liquor on highways, government plans to tweak policy by issuing FL II licenses to bars and massive demolition drive against the industry which caters to the liquor needs of the city. Rs 6,60 crore was collected as renewal fees for the 2018-19 fiscal from 238 establishments inlcuding17 wine shops, 149 permit rooms, 55 beer shops and 17 country liquor vends in the twin-city. The collections have witnessed a hike averaging 18 per cent compared to last year.
“We have achieved our anticipated target. The collections have witnessed a hike averaging 15 to 18 per cent compared to last year,” said excise officer Abhijeet Deshmukh. But it has been alleged that the figures could have been much higher, if the transfer process were in accordance of the framed rules.
“I have filed a RTI seeking info seeking amount recovered towards transfer fees, but the authorities are least cared to reply. I have filed an appeal,” said RTI activist Shabbir Kanorwala, who alleged that some bar owners had been evading privilege fees which is eight times of regular fee on the virtue of power of attorneys and invalid NOC’s from previous license holders who had already sold their premises, thus cheating the government exchequer of huge revenue.
The excise officials however clarified that revenue amounting more than Rs 66 lakh had been collected towards transfer and shifting fees. While the excise wing has managed to fill its coffers indicating that the watering holes have managed to recover from the huge set back of the highway ban, some bar owners have moved court seeking reimbursement, for the closures (ban) period.