Liquor prices to go up in UT

Liquor prices in the city are all set to increase, with the UT Administration proposing the same in the soon-to-be issued Excise Policy 2013-14.

Besides the hike in liquor duties and thus the prices, the licensing fee for the allotment of liquor vends and excise duty on liquor is also likely to go up in the ensuing Liquor Policy 2013-14 which will come into effect from May 1.

Sources in the UT Administration say that pre-fabricated structures which housed the vends and taverns are likely to be shifted to other locations in the city. Presently, these, 25 in number, are among the highest revenue generating liquor vends.

Sources say that the UT Excise Department has already initiated the process to identify new locations to shift about 25 pre-fabricated structures along the roadsides across the city.

These pre-fabricated structures are known for attracting many liquor lovers passing through the city from the adjoining states of Punjab and Haryana. On the directions of the Apex Court last year, the decision to shift the pre-fabricated structures along the roadsides to other places has been taken.

The sites running from pre-fabricated vends are among the highest revenue-generating outlets for the UT Excise Department. In an auction held in April last, a pre-fabricated liquor vend in Sector 52 had attracted the highest licence fee of Rs 4.25 crore against the reserve price of Rs 3.30 crore and another liquor vend located at Behlana village had fetched a licence fee of Rs 4.25 crore against the reserve price of Rs 3.13 crore. Officials say that last fiscal, the small liquor dealers have faced huge financial losses.

Interestingly, in the Excise Policy 2012-13, there was a substantial hike in the prices of liquor. The licence fee, excise duty, permit fee, import fee and assessment fee on liquor was enhanced in Chandigarh bringing the liquor prices here at par with Punjab and Haryana.

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