The Excise and Taxation Department has allotted all liquor vends in the state of Punjab for the year 2017-18.
The draw of lots for the remaining districts of Ludhiana, Patiala, Ferozepur and Faridkot divisions were held on 5 April.
The draw of lots in all the districts were held in a fair and transparent manner in the presence of the Deputy Commissioners or their representatives of the districts concerned and no complaint has been received in this regard.
The Excise policy for the year 2017-18 has been made trader-friendly and aims at safeguarding the interests of all the stakeholders, that is government, wholesalers, retails and the consumers.
The department expects to collect Rs.5,400 crore during the year 2017-18 from Excise, as against the expected collections of Rs.4,900 crore during the year 2016-17.
As promised in the election manifesto, the number of liquor vends has been reduced from 6,384 to 5,900 (approx.) in the Excise Policy for the year 2017- 18. This year, no liquor vend will be allowed to operate within a distance of 500 metres from the outer edge of the National Highways and state highways, as per the orders of the Supreme Court of India.
The system of wholesale license L-1A has been abolished. The L-1 licensees will lift their quota directly from the manufacturing companies.
From the earlier departure, the L-1 license will be granted to a retail licensee (L-2 licensee) only in the concerned district who has secured atleast one group in a district.
This is a radical change from the earlier policy and has been done to meet the long pending demand of the retail licensees.
The quota of country liquor has been reduced from 10.10 crore proof litres to 8.70 crore proof litres that is by 14 per cent.
Similarly, the quota of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) has been reduced from 4.73 Crore proof litres to 3.80 Crore proof litre, that is by 20 per cent.