Ggm liquor shops jack up price, residents complain

The excise and taxation commissioner — after taking cognizance of complaints of liquor shops overcharging residents — on Thursday issued an advisory and told his

The excise and taxation commissioner — after taking cognizance of complaints of liquor shops overcharging residents — on Thursday issued an advisory and told his deputies to launch a crackdown.

HT Image

Six teams have been formed to check the prices and the liquor shops have been asked to display the price list at the entrance and on the counter inside the shop, said officials.

The advisory issued stated “The minimum retail sale price of each category of liquor/beer has been fixed and as per amended excise policy 2020-21, a fixed amount of Covid Cess has also been levied on liquor bottles of different sizes are retail sale level. Thus, the minimum retail sale price will be inclusive of Covid Cess now. Therefore, it is directed to ensure that nor exorbitant prices are charged from the customer at all the retail outlets.”

Many people have alleged that they were overcharged and same brand was sold at different prices at different shops.

Sudhanshu Bhasin, a resident of The Crest, DLF 5, said that the liquor shops were looting people and appealed to Haryana deputy chief minister, Dushyant Chautala, who also holds the portfolios of excise and taxation, to step in. He claimed he was charged twice the market price. “Thekas (liquor vends) in Gurugram are looting people. I purchased scotch for Rs 4,000 which was earlier sold for Rs 2,500 and Sula Red Wine for Rs 1,600, which was earlier sold for Rs 650. There exists no law and order during this lockdown,” he said.

Another resident, Ashwani Saraswat, of Sector 52, said when he had visited a liquor shop on May 6, he was tols that the state had announced a Covid cess of between Rs 5 and 20 on a beer bottle but the shopkeepers were charging Rs 100 for every bottle. “Earlier a bottle of beer that cost Rs 150 is now being sold for Rs 250. Since Haryana does not have MRP on liquor bottles, the shopkeepers are making a killing,” he said.

Around 218 liquor shops located in Gururgam opened on May 6, after the state government announced a series of relaxations, following the implementation of Lockdown 3.0 in the state. The government has imposed a variable Covid cess on liquor items to support areas and institutions, which have been adversely hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Taking cognizance of this, Gurugram’s deputy excise and taxation commissioner appealed to citizens to register complaints with them if they were being overcharged for liquor.

The department has fixed an amount of Covid cess that is to be levied on liquor bottles. Thus, the minimum retail sale price will be inclusive of Covid cess. The shopkeepers are allegedly taking advantage of this pricing and selling liquor at higher prices.

Aruna Singh, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (DETC) said, “We have formed teams that are checking the price list outside all liquor shops. Anyone found selling alcohol at a higher price will face action. We have asked the liquor shops to display their rate list at the shops and I request residents to kindly send in complaints with proof if they happen to find any owner overcharging.”

The Haryana government’s excise policy has fixed the minimum selling price (MSP) of liquor, but there is no cap on maximum price, because of which liquor prices vary from outlet to outlet. The concept of not standardising retail price gives a free hand to the vends to sell at prices that they want to.

H C Dahiya, deputy excise and taxation commissioner (DETC), said the state has been suffering an average monthly revenue loss of Rs 3,00 crore due to the ongoing lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19. “The sale of liquor has dipped in the district and the department is suffering huge revenue losses. Many liquor vends have surrendered their licenses. We had to auction some vends but if the situation remains the same, no one will come forward,” he said.