Delhiites likely to face major liquor shortage
New Delhi, July 30: Delhi is staring at a major liquor shortage in the coming days with private wine and beer stores going to shut shop from August 1 after Kejriwal government’s decision to withdraw its new excise policy 20221-22.
The 468 private liquor shops operating in the city will be shut from August 1 as the term of their licences and that of the new excise policy expire on July 31.
Hence, the private liquor stores across the city on Saturday offered heavy discounts and schemes like one plus one free and one plus two free to sell their remaining stock.
With new policy gone, the excise licences issued to hotels, clubs and restaurants having bars, and wholesale operations will also become redundant apart from private run liquor stores in the city.
It means, there will be virtually no liquor supply from the wholesalers to the entire hospitality sector and retail vends in the city after July 31, till some alternate arrangements are made by the government, liquor trade experts claimed. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia earlier on the day said that Delhi government has withdrawn the new excise policy and directed for selling liquor from government run stores only.
He said that the Chief Secretary has been asked to ensure that there is no chaos in the city during the transition period before opening of government liquor stores. —
THE 468 PRIVATE LIQUOR shops operating in the city will be shut from August 1 as the term of their licences and that of the new excise policy expire on July 31.