Liquor vend draw today

Ruchika M Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 28

The Capt Amarinder Singh government faced its first roadblock after its much touted excise policy, which was announced 10 days ago, failed to enthuse liquor contractors who have shied away from applying for vends in seven districts of the state.

A few applications have been received by the Punjab Excise and Taxation Department for Ludhiana, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Sangrur, Moga, Faridkot and Bathinda. 

Applicants have shown interest in buying vends in only some parts of these districts, while most of the other liquor vends have no takers.

Sources said the applications were nearly half of the total vends in these districts. Even in parts of the three holy districts — Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib and Muktsar — where there is a restriction on the opening of vends near holy shrines and now on vends near highways, the applications received are much less than the actual number of vends that the government wants to allot.

Officials in the state Excise Department said among the worst hit was Ludhiana, where applications were received in rural areas, not much in urban areas. The annual liquor business in Ludhiana is estimated at Rs 700 crore and with few takers for the vends here, the business could be hit badly.

The Excise Department had initiated the process of allotting liquor vends last week. Yesterday was the last day for receiving applications and the compilation of all applications received by the government was being done today so that the draw of lots for the liquor vends can be done on Wednesday.

Vivek Pratap Singh, Excise and Taxation Commissioner, said: “Though the response had been lukewarm, we will again invite applications for the leftover vends.” 

“If we do not get any response, the policy allows us to give a 5 per cent concession in the licence fee for these vends. If this also fails, we have the option of running the vends on our own. The roadmap of the government itself running the vends is ready and will be presented only after we exhaust all options,” he said.