Admn floats fresh tender for track-&-trace system for liquor

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, June 15

Three months after the introduction of the Excise Policy 2024-25, the UT Excise and Taxation Department is yet to implement the proposed track-and-trace system aimed at curbing inter-state smuggling of liquor.

QR codes to check smuggling

Under the new Excise Policy, it is the first attempt by the UT Excise and Taxation Department to implement a comprehensive track-and-trace system for monitoring the entire liquor supply chain. It involves assigning a unique QR code to each liquor bottle at the production stage. Each bottle as well as cases would carry unique codes, enabling stakeholders to verify the source and track the distribution of liquor.

Despite the policy coming into effect on April 1, the department has failed to implement the system due to the lack of bidders for the project.

Under the new Excise Policy, it is the first attempt by the department to implement a comprehensive track-and-trace system for monitoring the entire liquor supply chain. It involves assigning a unique QR code to each liquor bottle at the production stage. Each bottle as well as cases would carry unique codes, enabling stakeholders to verify the source and track the distribution of liquor.

Initial efforts to launch the system began on April 8, when the department invited bids for the project. No bidder came forward. In a renewed effort, the department has now issued a fresh tender, with applications invited by July 1. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for June 19 to address any potential concerns of bidders. The bids of technically qualified companies would be opened at 4 pm on July 1.

To support the track-and-trace system, the department has also developed a mobile app designed to verify the authenticity of liquor bottles through QR codes. This initiative is aims at fostering transparency and accountability across the supply chain.

In 2017, the Excise and Taxation Department had proposed barcodes and batch numbers for liquor bottles and cartons to tackle smuggling, but the proposal didn’t materialise.

The smuggling of liquor from Chandigarh to states such as Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat has long been a challenge for the Administration.

Despite the setbacks in implementing the track-and-trace system, the department has made some progress in its revenue goals. Of the Rs 1,000 crore target for the current fiscal, Rs 456 crore was expected on account of liquor licence fee. The department has collected Rs 421 crore from the allocation of 86 liquor vends so far, surpassing last year’s collection of Rs 380 crore.

The department remains optimistic about finding a suitable bidder and implementing the system to enhance regulatory control and reduce smuggling of liquor.