A large number of people turned up at Collectorate to submit application forms for acquiring licence of liquor shop here. The Excise department will allocate licences of liquor shops through lottery system at Town Hall, here on March 29, said District Excise officer SK Kamboj on Saturday.
Kamboj said a total of 72 liquor shops including 39 Indian made foreign liquor (IMFl) and 31 country-made liquor (CMl) and two beer shops will be allotted to the applicants through lottery system, which will be conducted at Town Hall under the supervision of Dehradun DM. Earlier, the applicants were told to submit forms between March 19 and March 22. The department had collected these forms till Saturday at 5 pm. Although, the counting of application forms was on while filing this story, the Excise Officer said that more than 22,000 applications including a considerable number of women have submitted applications to procure these licences. Kamboj further said all possible steps will be taken to maintain transparency while allocating the shop to the applicants. The applicants are being charged Rs 18, 000 as registration fee which is non refundable.
It means Dehradun Excise has earned Rs 39 crore through registration fee against 72 liquor shops because it is not refundable. In addition to this, 10 per cent of licence fees are also being charged from the applicants, which is refundable. In 2013, the maximum and minimum application for CMl shops was from Selaqui and Kulhal areas respectively. For IMFl shops, the maximum application came from Rani Pokhri whereas minimum from Chakrata. The department will allocate 20 CMl shops for Dehradun Tehsil, eight in Vikasnagar, three in Rishikesh whereas 24 IMFl shops in Dehradun, five in Vikasnagar and three in Rishikesh, one each in Chakrata, Kalsi, Tyuni and others. Premnagar resident Sohan Bisht who was at Collectorate said he had submitted five forms in different names and expressed hope that at least one license could be procure.