Chhattisgarh to shut 250 liquor shops

Chhattisgarh government has decided to close down 250 liquor shops in the state from the next financial year.

The decision, which is aimed at keeping a tab on increasing liquor consumption in the state, will cause Rs 100 crore loss to the state exchequer annually.

Chhattisgarh at present has 1054 liquor shops spread across the length and breath of the state.

"The state government has decided to close down the shop in the village that house a population of less than 2000 (according to 2001 census)", state excise minister Amar Agrawal said.

In all, 250 shops had been identified that were located in the villages with population of less than 2000, he added.

The state cabinet had approved the proposal of the department and the shops identified would be closed down from April 1, the minister said.

The state exchequer would have to bear a loss of Rs 100 crore following the state government's decision to curtail the number of liquor shops in the state.

"The revenue loss from excise due to closure of shops would be compensated from other taxable and non-taxable heads", Agrawal said.

The closure of 250 shops from the coming financial year would be the first step of slowly shutting down the liquor shops in the state as the consumption of liquor, especially among youths, was increasing fast, the minister explained.

The state government is also mooting a proposal to take stringent action against those indulged in the sale of illicit liquor.

Agrawal said the existing act would be amended to book a person under non-bailable offence if 5 litres of illegal liquor was seized from him. Under the present act, person would be arrested under non-bailable warrant if he stocked 25 litres of illicit liquor.