Liquor vends in Jalandhar closed, owners seek tax rebate

Vend owners contend they incurred huge losses during the lockdown and are unlikely to profit in future, demand reducing the licence fee, slashing VAT

Even as authorities allowed liquor vends to open in the district with a few conditions, vends were closed only after a few hours on Thursday.

The vends’ shutters were pulled down as owners were uncertain that they will be given tax relaxations (Representative Image/HT)

The vends’ shutters were pulled down as vend owners were uncertain that they will be given tax relaxations.

The vend owners contended that they had incurred huge losses during the lockdown. The government has formed a panel to assess liquor vendor’s losses during lockdown.

The owners have sought relaxations such as reducing the licence fee and slashing VAT.

They said the vends were unlikely to make profit given the slide in the economy and the possibility of restrictions being extended by few weeks.

NO CLARITY, SAY VENDORS

“There is no clarity whether and how the government will compensate us. We opened the vends but later closed them, considering the tepid response from people and confusion over government’s move,” said a vendor.

An excise taxation officer, on request of anonymity, said most vendors closed their units in the morning. “Now, around 15% are operating but they too are receiving lukewarm response from public as they are selling only one bottle a person, that, too, at higher rates,” the officer said.