New Excise Policy Effective From Nov1 For 2 Years

Hyderabad, Oct.3 (Maxim News): The Telangana government has notified its new liquor policy, which stipulates that the liquor shop licenses would be valid for two years. The new policy says the order that the liquor shops will be kept open for 13 hours in GHMC and its peripheral areas and from 10 am to 10 pm in other areas. The new liquor policy conditions were notified by Special Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar.

According to the order, the new policy will be effective from November 1, 2019 to October 31, 2021 and the licensees will be selected through drawal of lots. The bidders would have to pay a non-refundable deposit of Rs 2 lakh. The retail shop Excise Tax would be Rs 1 crore (for two years) for shops in the areas having a population of up to 5000, Rs 1.10 crore for shops in slab ot 5001-50,000 population, Rs 1.20 crore for shops in 50,001 – 1 lakh population, Rs 1.30 crore for shops in 1,00,001 to 5 lakh population, 1.70 crore for shops in areas having 5,00,001 – 20 lakh and Rs 2.20 crore for shops in areas having population more than 20 lakh. The Excise Tax is to be paid in eight equal installments instead of six installments in vogue now.

The GO stipulated that the shops should install three CCTV cameras in counters and inside the licensed premises and these cameras should be linked to the central control room of the Prohibition and Excise department. These shops should be equipped with the ‘required systems and equipment as prescribed by the officials with full automation to update day-to-day transactions’. The order also specifies that the licensees must take steps to maintain hygiene and orderly parking of vehicles near the shops. (Maxim News)