Excise Policy 2022-23: Soon, get liquor licence for functions online in Chandigarh

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 2

Soon, residents will be able to obtain the liquor licence for family functions from the comforts of their homes.

To provide seamless services, the UT Excise and Taxation Department is going to digitalise the process of obtaining various permissions such as liquor licence for bar, weddings etc, in the Excise Policy 2022-23.

A senior UT official said the department was preparing the Excise Policy for the fiscal 2022-23, which would be effective from April 1, 2022. “We are trying to complete the digitisation process so that all permissions can be obtained from the online portal,” he said and added that it would not only improve the department-citizen interface, but also lead to increase in tax collection.

On 27 per cent increase in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection in November this year, he said it was an indicator of revival of economic activities in the City Beautiful. The city collected a revenue of Rs180 crore in November, whereas the collection in the same month last year stood at Rs141 crore.

Keeping in view the spread of Covid-19, the UT Administration had not increased the excise duty on beer and wine for the financial year 2021-22, but there was a hike of 6 per cent in the excise duty on the India-made foreign liquor (IMFL).

To promote low-alcoholic content, a new category of beer — super mild beer — containing alcoholic content up to 3.5 per cent was introduced in the Excise Policy.

For issuance of permit, the allotment of licensing units were made through e-tendering system and to curb the menace of cartelisation and monopolistic practices, a single entity of firms, companies and individuals were entitled to allotment of the maximum 10 vends only.

To give a boost the hospitality industry and tourism in Chandigarh, there was no increase in the licence fee of the hotels, bars and restaurants. The Administration also allowed the facility of mini bar in 3-star and 4-star hotels in addition to 5-star or above category of hotels.