While members of Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP) staged a protest against reduction of VAT on fruit wine industry, a large number of liquor shops were allotted to bidders in different districts of the Kumaon division through the lottery system here on Friday.
The Pithoragarh district earned Rs6,07,26,507 more as revenue from allotment of as many as 26 liquor shops including 12 country made liquor shops, 13 Indian made foreign liquor (IMFl) shops and one beer shop through lottery system on Friday, as compared to the previous year when it got Rs24,05,12,683
as revenue. As many as 2,442 persons had applied for all the 26 liquor shops in Pithoragarh this year, while there were 1,738 applicants in Pithoragarh last year, said the officials concerned.
In the meanwhile as many as eight liquor shops including four IMFl and four country made liquor shops were allotted in Bageshwar thorough the lottery system .
However, as the officials concerned of the district administration Bageshwar said, applicants may apply for three liquor shops at Garur, Bageshwar and Bharari till 3 pm on March 30. As no applications were received for the said three shops, so these shops could be not allotted on Friday, they added.
The Bageshwar district received a total Rs 11,56,57,363 as revenue by allotting eight liquor shops through the lottery system today.
In the meanwhile, as many as 95 liquor shops including 26 IMFl, 68 country made liquor shops and one beer shop were also allotted in Udham Singh Nagar district through the same lottery system on Friday.
A total 10787 applicants including 1,873 female and 8,914 male applicants applied for these 95 liquor shops in the district said the officials concerned of the Udham Singh Nagar district administration.
In the meanwhile, staging protest against reduction of Vat on fruit wine industry in the hill State, HC Sharma, Nainital district president of the UPP, allegedly said that it is quite unfortunate to know that instead of giving some relief on domestic cooking gas, the State Government is going to promote liquor trade in Uttarakhand.
Problems like inflation, unemployment, and migration to name a few continue to hit the life of the common people, but the State Government seems to be little worried with these perennial issues of the hill state, he regretted.
Among other things agriculture sector is badly hit in hills. More so, wild animals have only added to the woes of the farmers in hill areas. But there is no assistance from the State Government to help the farmers, he alleged.