liquor lovers in the City Beautiful have little to cheer. They now will have to pay more to remain high on ‘God’s own nectar’ from May 1 as per the new excise policy of the UT Administration.
Refusing to raise a toast, the excise duties for Indian Made Foreign liquor (IMFl) have been increased by the Administration in its excise policy for 2013-14, starting from May 1, 2013, to April 30, 2014.
As of now, the liquor rates in Chandigarh have been considerably cheaper than Panchkula in Haryana and Mohali in Punjab. But, the rates of IMFl have been increased, bringing it almost at par with Punjab — primarily to check inter-State smuggling.
The rate of excise duty has been increased for cheap, economy, and medium brands to Rs30 per proof litres (Pl). In addition, for premium brands, the rate of excise duty has been increased to Rs33 per Pl, and ultra premium to Rs42 per Pl.
Meanwhile, the rate of excise duty has been increased in semi-deluxe brands to Rs61 per Pl, Deluxe Rs107 per Pl, Super Deluxe Rs128 per Pl, Ultra Deluxe Brands Rs247 per Pl, and that of Country liquor to Rs25 per Pl.
From now on, it will be mandatory for all taverns attached to l-2 and l-14A licensees to have a proper toilet attached to it. In another first, the holograms will be introduced during the excise year 2013-14 on IMFl, IFl and Country liquor.
The Administration has decided to grant the Retail sale IMFl vends and Retail sale Country liquor by inviting sealed bids.
As per new policy, there will be only two categories of vends in retail sale IMFl vends — SCO, SCF, shop, booth category; and Modern liquor shop and only one category in Retail sale Country liquor vends — SCO, SCF, shop, or booth category.
The number of vends in retail sale IMFl and country liquor have been kept at 152 and 65, respectively. Also, the quota of IMFl and country liquor has been kept at the same level of the previous year — two crore Pl and 27 lakh Pl, respectively.
Among other major decisions, the excise duty on Wines, Champaign’s, Cider, RTD and liqueurs has been enhanced to Rs18 per Bl, besides additional license fee on imported wines will be chargeable at the same rates.
Additional licence on Imported Foreign liquor will also be increased to Rs247 per Pl, along with the license fee of wholesale licenses of IMFl, imported foreign liquor, Beer and Wines by 12 per cent to 20 per cent approximately.
Permit fee and Import fee on IMFl, Beer and Wine has also been enhanced. The minimum retail sale rates of IMFl has also been enhanced by 10 to 25 per cent and of Beer to be enhanced by 16 to 30 per cent.
The licence fee of bar licenses, issued to restaurants, hotels and clubs, has also been increased by 40 per cent approximately. In addition, assessment fee on IMFl or IFl, sold at retail sale foreign liquor and licenses, has been enhanced by 33 per cent. The license fee of bottling plant licenses has also been increased by 30 per cent.
The Administration has also increased other levies and duties by at least 10 per cent. Certain conditions have been introduced to streamline licensees in form l-3,l-4, l-5 and l-10B. The starred hotels and restaurants will be allowed to apply the license in form l-3, l-4, l-5, l-10A and l-10AA on the commencement of their operations.
However, other restaurants and hotels would apply for these licenses after six months of their commencement of the operations, the license will be given if they pay minimum of Rs30,000 as VAT for the corresponding period.
The administration has also made it necessary for the departmental store to be in existence for the last two years for the grant of new license in form 10B. For the renewal of the existing l-10B license, VAT amounting to Rs50,000 must have been paid. Besides, the license fee of licenses issued to Departmental Stores (l-10B licenses) has also been enhanced by 22 per cent.
To encourage more competition and availability, the Administration has decided to do away with the condition that only bottlers or distilleries, within 200 km of distance, be allowed to supply country liquor.
The minimum reserve price for retail sale of foreign liquor and retail sale of country liquor licences has been fixed equivalent to the license fee of that particular license for the previous year.
In case of similarly situated sites within a sector, NAC, village or locality of the same category which falls under SCO, SCF, shops or booths, minimum reserve price has been fixed by averaging the license fee of the last year.
The reserve price of the un-allotted licenses of will also be taken into account while calculating the average reserve price in case of similarly situated sites.
For the tendering, each tenderer will be required to furnish pay order or demand draft of certain amount as earnest money which will be range of minimum reserve price amount of earnest money.
For upto Rs60 lakh tender, Rs seven lakh to be paid as earnest money, upto Rsone crore, it would be 10 lakh; between Rsone Crore to Rs1.5 crore, Rs13 lakh; between Rs1.5 to Rs2.5 crore, Rs25 lakh; and between Rs2.5 crore and above, Rs35 lakh.