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Lockdown effect: Amarinder sets up committee to assess losses to liquor traders
On Monday, the CM was authorised by the council of ministers to approve changes in the state excise policy, as demanded by liquor contractors citing losses
Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced a three-member committee of officials to assess the losses to liquor contractors from March 23 to May 6 but rejected the demand for extension in vend contracts beyond the current financial year.
The CM said adjustments will be made for the losses incurred during the lockdown period in the current year itself.
The committee will comprise principal secretary (finance) Anirudh Tiwari, principal secretary (power) A Venu Prasad, and excise and taxation commissioner Vivek Pratap Singh.
On Monday, the CM was authorised by the council of ministers to approve changes in the state excise policy, as demanded by liquor contractors citing losses.
The excise and taxation, and finance departments had suggested not to extend period of contract for liquor vends beyond March 31, 2021.
Amarinder approved the finance department’s recommendation to provide proportionate adjustment of ‘minimum guarantee quota’ for the losses incurred in the 9 days of lockdown in March (2.5% cut from total revenue quota of Rs 5,675 crore), which comes out to Rs 141 crore. In the current financial year, relaxation of 10% (Rs 620 crore) was approved of a total of Rs 6,200 crore revenue projection.
The CM also directed the excise department to complete allotment of vends as per the 2020-21 state excise policy, which he said was approved by the cabinet on January 31.
Of a total of 756 groups, 500 were renewed as per the 2019-20 policy while the remaining 256 were restructured into 186 groups of which 89 groups were allotted as per the 2020-21 policy. The remaining 97 groups are yet to be allotted vends.
“We were expecting clear-cut announcement today but the entire process has been delayed by bringing in a committee and the group of ministers,” said Sunil Mahajan, a liquor contractor.
GoM TO GIVE REPORT ON LEVYING COVID CESS
The CM also constituted a group of ministers (GoM) comprising Manpreet Singh Badal (finance), Vijay Inder Singla (education) and Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria (housing & urban development) and mandated it to consider levying special Covid cess on the sale of liquor, as has been done by other states.
TRADERS TO DECIDE ON HOME DELIVERY
The CM asked the contractors to take call on the issue of home delivery of liquor which has started in Fatehgarh Sahib and Faridkot districts. He said the apex court had suggested home delivery or indirect sale of liquor in its order May 8 to ensure social distancing during the lockdown.
Many contractors are opposing the move.
