Cabinet approves new excise policy, 14% higher collections expected

Tribune News Service
Shimla, May 24

The excise policy for 2021-22 envisaging the collection of Rs 1,829 crore, which is Rs 228 crore higher than the previous year, was approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur here today. The new policy will help in increasing collections by almost 14 per cent over the last year.

Nod to use of flags on MLAs’ vehicles

• The Cabinet approved the use of flags on the vehicles of all MLAs to facilitate them in their functioning
• The MLAs have been suggesting that they must have some symbol on their vehicles so that they do not face problems during travel and while discharging their duties towards people
• However, the Cabinet left the task of finalising the modalities for the flag and its design to the Speaker of the Vidhan Sabha

The Cabinet also approved the setting up of excise police in the Excise and Taxation Department to check inter-state and intra-state smuggling and illicit trade of liquor and bootlegging.

The excise year 2020-21 has been extended by one month up to June 30 considering the situation arising out of Covid. As such, the new excise policy will be operational for nine months from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. The Cabinet also approved the renewal of retail excise vends for 2021-22 at a fee of 3 per cent of the value of the unit/vend.

According to the new policy, low-price IMFL brands will be cheaper, as the licence fee and the excise duty have been reduced. The facility of the transfer of quota within a district and inter-district has also been approved. The new policy also allows 15 per cent of the country liquor quota for the manufacturers and the bottlers to be supplied to retail licensees. The balance 85 per cent quota can be lifted by retail licensees from the suppliers of their choice. This was earlier 30 per cent.

The policy envisages increase in the licence fee by 5 per cent and the quota by 3 per cent. The new licence for serving liquor in a tented accommodation has been approved and new licences for visitor centres in wine manufacturing units and wine tasting festivals has also been given the go-ahead.

The Cabinet also decided to extend the current year toll leases by one month up to June 30, to be auctioned later. The leases for 2021-22 will be operational from July 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.

The Cabinet gave consent to provide approval to M/s RKV Spirit Private Ltd, Kala Amb, Nalagarh tehsil in Solan district for setting up a distillery, brewery and an ethanol plant based on extra neutral alcohol (liquor).

It decided to open a new Government Pharmacy College in the Sulah Assembly segment of Kangra district. Consent was given for filling 34 vacant posts of associate and assistant professor in the medical colleges at Nahan, Chamba, IGMC, Shimla, Tanda in Kangra, Hamirpur and NerChowk, Mandi.

The Cabinet gave permission to fill five posts of professor, assistant professor and associate professor in the Department of Nephrology in the IGMC, Shimla, and Tanda Medical College. It also accorded approval to procuring a CT Scan 128 slice machine at a cost of Rs 4.28 crore for Tanda Medical College in Kangra and increase the number of doctors in the Civil Hospital at Dehra in Kangra from existing nine to 14.