Ludhiana, May 6, 2020: A majority of liquor contractors in Punjab have said that they would be unable to open liquor shops in the state on May 7 and also expressed their inability to deliver liquor to homes of customers.
Varinder Sharma, spokesperson for liquor contractors in Ludhiana, said Government of Punjab in its excise policy for liquor vends had renewed existing contracts in majority of its cases by seeking 12% increase.
The remaining liquor vends were also put to allotment by reducing quota and revenue and practically contracts of all liquor vends were settled in the month of March 2019 itself.
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Though advance fee was deposited by the licensee but not a single contract has come into operation due to lockdown and curfew.
The contractors have demanded that a fresh policy has to be drafted to match the changed circumstances.
They say due to changed circumstances people are not in position to buy liquor like they did in normal times.
The contractors say that sale of Indian made foreign liquor is expected to fall by 50% as people are losing their jobs they wouldn’t have money to buy it.
Desi liquor which constitutes 80% of the sales will see drastic decline in demand as workers and labourers have either left for their native places or have no money to buy it.
The contractors say that in these circumstances, the present excise policy is not feasible.
They added that no license holder would be able to accept the conditions of license as per excise policy and everyone, without exception, would bail themselves out of the contract due to non - implementation of the contract.
The contractors say that if the government doesn’t come to their aid, they would move court.
The contractors have put the following suggestions before Government of Punjab:
1. Proportionate quota of the loss of days due to curfew during the financial year 2019-20 be reduced from the quota and proportionate license fee be waived.
2. As far as the financial year 2020-21 is concerned, there should be modification in the license policy and the condition of quota be withdrawn. Excise fee should be deposited by the licensee as per the actual sales. To secure the interest of the government, strict vigilance should be imposed on each liquor vend including electronic vigilance. The vigilance at the distilleries can also be increased to check flow of alcohol by evasion of excise duty. This change in the policy is very essential for saving the interest of people involved in the liquor trade as well as saving the interest of the government for earning the revenue.
3. That we are unable to start the vends until the Excise Policy 2020-21 reviewed and requesting you to please ensure following conditions:
a) Revision of Policy i.e. minimum guaranteed revenue as we all Wine Association Members cannot commit you MGR at this stage.
b) That Online Sales shall not be allowed during lock down period as a recent famous case held in Noida of Pizza Delivery boy who spread Covid-19 to 80 Families and all Association Members are against this Online Sales/Home Delivery Concept.
c) That Ahatas Fee shall be waved off during Covid-19, as Social Distancing is Mandatory so nobody operating these Ahatas so paying this fee during covid-19 is very difficult.
d) That Maximum Beer Season has gone further how we will lift beer quota after the season. Requesting you that we would be unable to give your balance security or any part of License fee unless assurance from the Department for charging license fee as per actual lifting of quota.
e) That as per Government of India Guidelines Marriage Places, Restaurants and Malls shall be closed up to October 2020. Bulk Sales are made during marriage functions as well as through Restaurants now it is impossible for us to comply with the conditions issued by the department.
f) That looking into larger interest no vend shall be opened at least up to lock down period May 17.