Liquor prices unchanged in Punjab, stress on quality

Chandigarh, Apr 12 (UNI) Liquor prices are expected to remain more or less the same as were in the last financial year in Punjab, as the new Excise Policy of the state government seeks to provide quality liquor at the minimum affordable retail prices with a projected revenue increase of Rs 125 crores over the previous year.

There would be no increase in the minimum retail prices and these would be retained at last year's level, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said after his Cabinet at its meeting here today granted approval to the new Excise Policy.

Outlining the salient features of the Policy, Mr Badal said the projected rise of Rs 125 crore was an increase of nearly 7 per cent over the last year.

The Chief Minister said the total revenue was expected to increase from Rs 1524 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 1649 crore in 2007-08.

Out of this, around Rs 76 crore would be earmarked for the Social Security Schemes through a separately Dedicated Fund.

The Excise Department would take stringent measures to check smuggling of liquor from the bordering states. In order to curb the menace of smuggling of liquor, specially designed hologram stickers would be affixed on all liquor bottles to be sold in the state.

A major campaign would be launched by the Department to educate people about the importance of this hologram. The absence of hologram would be an indication of the liquor being spurious. All bottle labels would have the words ''For Sale in Punjab only'' written in bold letters.

The Chief Minister, who also holds the Excise and Taxation portfolio said there would be complete transparency in the allotment of liquor vends. The vends would be allotted by draw of lots on fixed fee. The entire process of draw would be supervised by independent observers the Deputy Commissioners, and other senior officers.

As per the new policy, the licensees would be given the option to lift 30 per cent of PML quota from the distillery of his choice, unlike last year, when the licensees had no such option. Thus, this year, a licensee would be able to provide the brand of country liquor demanded by the consumers. The more is expected to create a healthy competition between the distilleries to manufacture better quality liquor in order to command a bigger market share.

MORE UNI