Chandigarh mulls home delivery of liquor

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
 Chandigarh, October 18

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In a step that will have a far-reaching effect on the liquor business in the city, the UT Excise and Taxation Department is mulling over a proposal for allowing home delivery of liquor on the pattern of Maharashtra.

Sources said the Excise Department had started a discussion on the proposal. Views would be sought from all stakeholders  before sending the proposal to the higher authorities  for final approval.

The proposal is likely to be introduced in next year’s policy, to be announced in March.

An officer of the Excise Department said the move  would help reduce the number of accidents caused due  to drunken driving.

The city has around 80 liquor vends, which fetched over Rs 266 crore in the auction held in March this year. The move is also expected to increase the revenue of the  department. The proposed policy is likely to give a boost to the liquor business.

The UT Excise Department had earlier followed the practice of the Maharashtra Government for  making the hologram of Chandigarh mandatory on liquor bottles. The hologram helped in curbing the illegal sale of liquor from city in other states.

An officer said before   allowing the online sale, it would be ensured that the buyers met the required age criteria. The sellers would be directed to take complete details of customers and identify them through the Aadhaar number.

The move would also generate employment as a large number of delivery boys would be required to run the doorstep delivery service.

Ajay Jagga, a member of the Consumer Protection  Council,  UT, said the proposal was in the right direction as it would curtail unnecessary traffic movement for  procurement of liquor and  help in reducing the number of accidents due to drunken driving.