Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday approved changes to the excise policy following the COVID-19 outbreak, announcing compensation to liquor contractors for the losses incurred by them during the lockdown.
While ruling out extension in the contract of liquor vends beyond March 31, 2020, the Chief Minister announced that the State government would provide adjustments to the licensees for losses incurred during the lockdown period, from March 23 to May 6, 2020.
The Chief Minister also constituted a three-member committee of senior government officers to assess the actual loss resulting from closure of liquor vends.
The State Cabinet had on May 11 authorised the Chief Minister to approve suitable changes in the State excise policy due to the pandemic and the resultant curflew-ockdown.
An official statement said the Chief Minister has accepted the recommendation of the excise department, aligned to the advice of the finance department, to maintain the period of contract of liquor vends till March 31, 2021.
He has also approved the finance department’s recommendation to provide proportionate adjustment of MGQ (the quantity that a retailer is bound to sell in one excise year) for the losses incurred in the nine days of lockdown in March, it added.
The Chief Minister has also set up a Group of Ministers, which has been mandated to consider the issue of levying a special COVID cess on sale of liquor.
Impasse continues
Meanwhile the impasse between the Punjab Ministers and State's Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh over liquor policy continued even as the Chief Secretary was divested of the charge of Financial Commissioner (Taxation).
