Squabbling contractors slash liquor rates

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 10

The infighting between the liquor contractors has given a pleasant respite to booze lovers as liquor prices have been reduced between 20 to 25 per cent. Besides whisky, the rates of beer too have also been slashed.

The rates of strong and light beer have been reduced from Rs 130 and Rs 120 to Rs 80 and Rs 75, respectively.

Similarly, there is a fall in the prices of whisky as well, including the famous brands of Royal Stag, Blenders Pride, Blue Riband, Peter Scot, Imperial Blue, DSP Black, 100 Pipers and other brands.

Booze lovers are making a beeline at liquor vends. The vendors too are reciprocating in the same manner. Apart from displaying of the new rate lists in bold letters, a section of vend owners have devised a way of attracting customers by hiring the services of dholi (drum beater).

“We will definitely face the losses, if the reduction continues for the next couple of weeks or even more than a month but this was the only way out to get rid of the infighting,” a liquor contractor said, pleading anonymity.

When asked over the reason of sudden slash in liquor rates, he said “It is the high-headedness of one of the influential liquor contractors that has lead to the reduction.”

“Since the influential group got three challans issued against us in the recent past, we have decided to sell the bottles at government rates”, he added.

“Though there is a minimum retail price (MRP) of the liquor but there is no maximum retail price. With monopoly, we can sell the liquor at any top price fixed by us,” he said.

“The vendors, after unanimously finalising the prices, may sell the liquor bottles at any pric. But we cannot sell below the government rates”, vend owners said.

Since the ‘weaker’ group has decided to sell the liquor on minimum prices to ‘teach a lesson’ to the bigger group. “There is a great difference between the number of liquor vends taken on contract by the bigger group and the smaller group in the city”, said liquor contractors.

The investment made by the bigger group is quite high and obviously they (bigger group) would feel more heat as compared to the smaller group by selling the liquor at rates fixed by the government. “By doing this the common man would savor the ultimate benefit”, contractors said.

When asked, isn’t it a cheating when the liquor contractors decide to sell at a price—fixed unanimously by them—which was quite higher than the government fixed rates, they said “It is indeed a cheating. But what we can do. As we have to see the personal interests of all .”