Liquor to cost more in Haryana

CHANDIGARH - Announcing a marginal increase in the retail price of liquor, the Haryana government Monday said it will grant licences for pubs in Gurgaon, Panchkula and Faridabad cities.

In its new excise policy for 2011-12, the Haryana government has decided not to increase the quota of country liquor and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and has also kept the maximum number of retail outlets at the same level as during the current year.

The decision was taken by the state cabinet here Monday at its meeting presided over by Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The cabinet allowed marginal increase in excise duty on country liquor, IMFL and beer.

The excise duty for country liquor was increased by Re.1 while that of IMFL and beer was hiked by Rs.2.

The duty for premium Scotch whiskey has been raised by Rs.22 per litre and that of ordinary Scotch by Rs.12 per litre, according to officials.

With this, the state is targeting to mop up a revenue of Rs.2,500 crore instead of the expected collection of Rs.2,250 crore revenue for 2010-11.

“Minimum retail sale price of liquor has been marginally increased and rationalised,” a state government spokesman said here.

As per policy, the total number of vends will be 3,500, out of which 2,265 will be country liquor vends and 1,235 for IMFL.

The quota of country liquor will be 900 lakh proof litre and of IMFL 500 lakh proof litre respectively, the spokesman said.

According to the policy, the allotment of vends will be done by inviting sealed tenders individually and separately.

“To improve transparency and fair play, closed-circuit television cameras will be installed in all the distilleries and breweries of the state and the sampling process will be videographed,” the spokesman added.

To give a boost to sports in Haryana, the state has committed 50 paise from sale of each liquor bottle for sports.