Haryana allows liquor vends near highways in municipal areas

The Haryana cabinet on Wednesday approved an amendment in the Haryana Excise Policy 2017-18 to allow establishment of liquor vends or sub vends at locations alongside National Highways or State Highways in municipal areas on payment of additional fee.

The cabinet took the decision at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here.

"As per the amendment a licensee who has not established all his allowed vends or sub vends may be allowed to establish vends or sub vends at locations alongside National Highways or State Highways in municipal areas on payment of additional fee," a state government spokesman said here.

The number of new establishments will be subject to maximum limit prescribed in the Excise Policy, he added.

The additional license fee for shifting or establishing each liquor vend or sub vend have been fixed at the rate of 30 per cent of average of the license fee of one Avend in the zone for remaining period.

"The bars, pubs, clubs, licenses in banquets (except L-2, L-14A), composite liquor vends and their sub vends will be allowed to establish or renew their licenses alongside national or state highways in Municipal areas without payment of any additional license fee," he said.

Haryana is likely to get additional revenue of Rs 20 crore on account of license fee, duty and VAT.

"It is expected that additional revenue of Rs 25 crore will be received from liquor vends that may get shifted to places along national and state highways," the spokesman said.

This change in policy is following the order of the Supreme Court of July 2017 lifting the ban on setting up of bars and liquor shops along highways in urban areas.

The Supreme Court had earlier imposed a complete ban on liquor vends and serving of liqour in hotels and restaurants within a distance of 500 metres along highways.

--IANS

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