Haryana grants pub licence at IMT Manesar for Japanese cos

The Haryana government has decided to grant a pub licence at the Industrial Model Township (IMT) at Manesar in Gurgaon on the request of Japanese companies that are present in the 3,700-acre industrial area.
A former top executive of a Japanese company, who is running restaurants in the township and Gurgaon, had sought pub licence as Japanese prefer beer, an official said.
"Japanese companies which are present in large number at IMT Manesar have sought a pub licence. Considering their request, the government has granted the permission for issuing pub licence," Haryana Additional Chief Secretary Excise and Taxation) Sanjeev Kaushal said here today while unveiling Haryana's new excise policy for 2018-19.

Under the pub licence, restaurants can serve only beer as against bar licence which allows serving of other liquor as well.
IMT Manesar, which is spread over 3,700 acres, is one of the prominent industrial townships in Haryana. Over 40 companies in collaboration with Japanese firms have set up their units in IMT Manesar.
Prominent among companies present at IMT Manesar are Maruti Suzuki India, Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India and Denso Haryana.

A former CEO of a Japanese company who is running a restaurant at IMT Manesar had proposed to the state government to issue a pub licence instead of a bar licence.

"The former CEO of a Japanese company is running four Japanese restaurants and out of which one is located at Manesar and one in Gurugram. He proposed that a pub licence be given instead of bar licence because Japanese prefer beer," informed Kaushal.
Meanwhile, Haryana government has also decided not to hike annual bar licence fee while acceding to the request from the stakeholders who sought no increase in the fee by giving representations to the government.
"There will be no hike in the annual fee of bar licence in the form of L-4/L-5 granted to restaurants and hotels of three star ratings and above. It will be kept at the last year's level," he further said.

For giving licences to the golf clubs, the Haryana government has also allowed them to open in rural areas.
"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. It was decided because it is now very difficult to start golf clubs in urban areas because of space constraint," he said.