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Chandigarh admn turns to bar code, batch numbers on liquor bottles to check smuggling
On Tuesday, the department invited a request for proposal for engagement of a project management consultant for providing services for the development of a “Track and Trace” system for manufacturing, transport, distribution and consumption of liquor, and implementation and monitoring in Chandigarh
Stepping up efforts to rein in smuggling of liquor from Chandigarh, the UT excise and taxation department is all set to introduce bar codes and batch numbers on liquor bottles and cartons.
On Tuesday, the department invited a request for proposal (RFP) for engagement of a project management consultant for providing services for the development of a “Track and Trace” system for manufacturing, transport, distribution and consumption of liquor, and implementation and monitoring in Chandigarh. The price bid will be opened on June 8.
Smuggling of liquor to Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat from Chandigarh has always remained an issue due to the low cost of liquor in the Union territory.
A senior officer of the UT excise department said, “The bar code and batch number will provide all information regarding the manufacturer, date and other content. After the RFP, we will be finalising a firm to implement the system.”
The department will be also deploying ex-servicemen at bottling plants that are 12 in number in the city.
13th round of liquor vend auction tomorrow
In a bid to lease out the 19 unsold liquor vends, the UT excise and taxation department will hold the 13th round of auction on May 25 with the reserve prices slashed by 45% that will translate into a loss of ₹32 crore.
In the 12th auction held on May 18, no liquor contractor turned up despite the reserve price being cut by 40%. Before this, only one vend was sold in the 11th auction held on May 12.
The city has 95 liquor vends, of which 76 have been allotted and 19 remain vacant.
