Slight increase in Haryana liquor quota

The Excise Policy announced by the Haryana government on Monday marks a slight increase in quota of country liquor and IMFL.

Haryana Additional Chief Secretary, Excise and Taxation, Sanjeev Kaushal, who unveiled the state's Excise Policy for 2018-19, announced an increase in the basic quota of Country Liquor (CL) from 950 lakh proof litres to 1,000 lakh proof litres and of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) from 550 lakh proof litres to 600 lakh proof litres (PL).

Kaushal told media persons here that the number of retail outlets for CL and IMFL would remain the same as last year and that the export duty on CL has been reduced from Rs 1.50 to Rs 0.50.

Kaushal said that under the new policy, the licencee has been allowed to convert maximum 10 per cent of his CL quota to IMFL quota.

He said that the excise duty this year on CL has been increased from Rs 28 to Rs 44 per PL, whereas, on IMFL, it has been increased from Rs 44-200 per PL to Rs 49-210.

"However, there is no hike in the annual fee of bar licences in the form of L-4 and L-5 granted to restaurants and hotels of three star ratings and above," Kaushal added.

He said that the condition with regard to grant of bar licences to Golf Clubs and other categories has been relaxed so as to allow them to open anywhere in the state.

"On the request of a Japanese company, pub licences would be allowed in Industrial Model Township, Manesar."

The licence for serving liquor for one-day functions at commercial places like banquet halls would be granted online.

He said that the Minimum Retail Price of country liquor is proposed at Rs 140 per bottle and it has been made mandatory for all the retail licensees to issue an invoice for sale of liquor.

He said that for environment protection, the distilleries would provide 20 per cent quota in Glass bottles for Country Liquor as an institutional measure.

--IANS

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