The excise department and entertainment department officials are worried over the slump in the number of applications seeking licence for celebrating New Year party. They said that while the excise department received 21 applications the figure was 44 for the entertainment department. “The scenario is bleak. Revenue collected on these counts would come down substantially as compared to the last year,” said an official, while attributing the negative trend to the demonetisation drive.
District entertainment assistant commissioner in-charge SS Bisht said that this year, they had received 44 applications from hotels, restaurants and some individuals for New Year parties. “While 15 such applications were received from Mussoorie, 26 from Dehradun and Selaqui and three from Rishikesh. Applications will be received till Saturday noon,” he said.
Affirming that the number of applications received so far was much less than the number of last year, he said that his department would lose substantial chunk of revenue in the form of tax and license charges received from the applicants. “This year, things are gloomy as the hotels are not going for big parities because of the apprehension that the people are unlikely to turn up for the new year parties given the demonetisation-triggered cash crunch,” he added.
last year, the department had received 50 applications for organising parties for the New Year celebrations. “There are not much of differences in the figures. But what counts in the matter of revenue collection is whether the parties to be hosted are big or small ones. In case the parties are big and many people turn up and dine the volume of our revenue accordingly surges up. But unfortunately for us, this year, the attendance would be thin as compared to the last year. This means that revenue to be collected would come down proportionately,” he said, adding that they had collected around Rs 3 lakh in the form of entertainment tax last year.
Bisht further said that the entertainment department officers had slapped penalty to the tune of Rs 50, 000 on those who had organised parties in the district sans permission last year. “This year too, the department has formed a team comprising inspectors and they would inspect hotels and restaurants to check whether they have secured license from the department,” he added.
District Excise officer Pavan Kumar Singh said that 21 such applications had been received by Friday. “Forms would be received till Saturday. However, the figure for Bar license from various hotels is a bit higher, standing at 34. Department charges Rs 5, 000 for a one- day party on December 31. A team comprising inspectors has been formed and it has been conducting special drives since December 19 to check illegal supply of liquors in the district from neighbouring states,” he said.
An excise inspector said that the sale volume of Beer, Country Made liquor and Indian Made Foreign liquor (IMFl) shoots up during the New Year celebration. “However, the number of applications seeking license for the celebration is astonishingly low so far this year,” he added.
