On the last day of the financial year, the volume of sale of liquors at various liquor shops in the city has shown an upswing as compared to previous days. However, due to shortage of stocks at various liquor shops, liquor consumers had to make do without their preferred brands.
Some liquor shops were crowded with customers while some were closed as their stocks were finished. The liquor shops which had been charging around Rs 20-30 per bottle more than the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) in the past were found giving discount on various brand liquor bottles on Thursday.
Moreover, the shopkeepers had displayed the discount on various brands of liquors outside their shops with an intention to have stocks finished off fast with the day marking the end of the financial year. From Friday- April 1- the customers would have to pay the revised prices as fixed by the State Government. Besides, district administration allocates licenses for liquor shops from April 1.
Customers were seen scrambling among themselves to buy their favourite brands throughout the day. long queues were found outside the wine shops as the day wore on. However, many were disappointed finding shops closed due to the stocks sold out. Things were such that some pedestrians were heard asking what the crowd was all about.
Some customers purchased four to five liquor bottles, knowing that they would have to shell out more for them from Friday onwards. Besides, the massive discounts offered to the extent of 30 per cent lured them.
Ramesh, a customer, who was found buying liquor at a shop near Clock Tower said that he had purchased a bottle of liquor for Rs 65 against the MRP being Rs 100.
Dinesh Bisht another customer, said, “I purchase a liquor bottle from the shop though it was not branded. But its price was Rs 30 less than the actual MRP price.”
A liquor trader at Clock Tower said that they had offered discount on various brand liquors to finish off the stock on the last day of the financial year.