No changes in rates of beer, wine

Tribune news service

Chandigarh, March 30

With an aim to encourage low alcohol content beverages, the UT Administration has announced the excise policy for the next financial year today. The Administration has not made major changes in the existing policy.

While the rates of beer and wine will remain the same, the Administration has tried to make the rates of hard liquor competitive in comparison to the neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana. The total reserve price for all these groups is Rs 202.55 crores. The rates of hard liquor is likely to increase by 10 per cent as there will marginal increase in the extra licence fee of the Indian made foreign liquor, imported foreign liquor and country liquor along with increase in licence fee of various liquor licenses. To encourage low alcoholic beverages, no changes have been made.

The number of vends will also be reduced from 99 to 77 after the Administration banned the vends on two major roads — The Madhya Marg and National Highway 21— in view of the direction of the Supreme Court

Tenders will be received from April 2 to 4, 2017, The allotment will take place on April 5. 2017, from 10am onwards at the Tagore Theatre, Sector 18.