State likely to get 350 more liquor shops

Over 350 more liquor shops were likely to be allotted across the State to the existing 2,216 outlets in the new excise licensing period for 2021-23 which will come into force from December 1.

This was the outcome of a video conference of Excise and Prohibition Director Sarfraz Ahmed with Deputy Commissioners, Joint Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners and Superintendents at the district level to inform them about the broad government policy on Saturday, sources said.

They added that the shops will be increased in pockets that reported high sales in the just concluded license period from November 1, 2019, to October 31, 2021. The licence for these two years was extended till this month end to compensate for the loss of business owing to lockdown in 2020 and 2021.

The government issued an order after the conference listing out various components of the policy, including the decision to follow reservation in allotment of liquor shops to Goud community (15% , SCs (10% ) and STs (5%). The allotment will be proportional to the population of that category in the State. The allotment will be done by draw of lots. There will be no change in non-refundable application money of ₹ 2 lakh and the license fee.

The retailer margin after crossing the benchmark turnover has been increased from 6.4% to 10 %. The benchmark turnover which was earlier seven times the annual license fee has been increased to ten times. The privilege tax will be collected at 10% on the turnover as against 13.6 % earlier.

However, the licensees earlier paid the annual license fee in four instalments but they will now pay every alternate month, aggregating to six instalments.

The successful applicants will have to submit only one bank guarantee equal to 25% of the annual license fee for a period of 25 months. Earlier, they furnished two bank guarantees for four instalments of annual licensee fee. There was no change in population based slab rates of license fee. Applications could be made for more than one shop but each one had to be accompanied by non-refundable fee of ₹ 2 lakh. There was also no need of Earnest Money Deposit (EMD).