Himachal govt rolls back decision to cut liquor rates
The decision to extend bar timings in star-rated hotels till 2am has also been withdrawn by the Jai Ram government
SHIMLA : The state government rolled back its decision to reduce the prices of liquor in Himachal Pradesh during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
The cabinet, which was chaired by chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, also reversed its decision to extend operation timings of bars in star-rated hotels and bars in specified tourist areas till 2am.
Bars will only be allowed to stay open from noon to midnight. Cabinet members increased liquor retailers’ margin, revoking their previous decision of decreasing their share.
In a meeting held on February 17, the state cabinet had approved an excise policy for the year 2020-21 envisaging a collection of an annual revenue of around ₹1,840. The collection would mark a 13% increase over the present fiscal. The cabinet also approved renewal of retail excise vends to enhance revenue, reduce prices of liquor and curb smuggling from neighbouring states.
The government revoked its decision after it drew flak from different quarters.
The Congress had repeatedly targeted the government over its decision to make liquor cheaper in Himachal as it would adversely impact efforts to reduce drug and alcohol addiction in the state.in 2018, the chief minister had announced that a Gau Vansh Vikas cess of ₹1 will be levied on the sale of every bottle of liquor.
The collection was to be used for setting up a Gau Seva Aayog and to rehabilitate around 32,000 stray cattle in the state. Recently, the government upped the cow cess to ₹1.50 for the 2020-21 financial year.
The government expects to generate a revenue of ₹13.5 crore through the sale of at least nine crore liquor bottles in the coming financial year.
The amount received will be utilised to maintain cow shelters and sanctuaries.
The government had earned around ₹1,481 crore through liquor sale in the 2018-19 fiscal and had set a target to earn approximately ₹1,620 crore through alcohol sale in 2019-20.
In 2019, the Himachal Pradesh government had jacked up the prices of country-made and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) rates by 5%. The ex-distillery prices (EDPS) were marginally increased as the liquor companies had been suffering losses due to a higher cost of production in liquor-manufacturing plants.
The cabinet approved recruitment for 60 posts in different departments. Forty posts in different categories will be filled in the agriculture department and state agriculture university. It gave its nod to fell around 1,000 trees for the fourlaning project on the Shimlakalka highway.
The cabinet also agreed to introduce the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (Amendment) Bill as per the recommendation of the Vidhan Sabha Select Committee.
CONG HAD TARGETED THE GOVERNMENT OVER ITS DECISION TO MAKE LIQUOR CHEAPER AS IT WOULD IMPACT EFFORTS TO REDUCE DRUG AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN THE STATE