Haryana Excise Policy 2023-24 Key takeaway: posh vends, corporates can now serve liquor to staff in offices

According to the policy, a liquor licensee has been given an option to “convert one or more of his composite vends to Avant-Garde Outlet(s) in a posh market or shopping mall of the urban area, where the licensee intends to sell IMFL only. For this purpose, some of the retail outlets in the posh markets or shopping malls of the urban areas shall be identified to be allotted as Avant-Garde Outlets”.

“Further, any retail licensee in urban areas having licence fee of his zone – (a) equal to or above Rs 15 crore in case of Gurugram and Faridabad; (b) equal to or above Rs 5 crore in case of remaining districts, shall have the option to convert his vend into Avant-Garde Outlet after allotment of vends, by making an application to the Excise Department,” the policy mentions.

The policy further mentions, “The Department, keeping in view the clientele and potential of the area, shall identify the Avant-Garde Outlets. These Avant-Garde Outlets shall have to be air conditioned and should have good quality flooring i.e. wooden/ vitrified tiles/ granite etc. The vends should be well decorated with shelves so that various brands are displayed in shelves with a systematic layout plan.”

It adds, “The licensee shall display the brand wise rates. The licensee shall issue machine-generated invoices (POS). The customers shall have the facility to walk in the shops and select his/ her choice of brand from the shelves. The Avant-Garde Outlets shall be located in shopping malls or SCO/ SCF or well-constructed prefabricated structures of equal quality only in posh market areas.”

It also says, “The Avant-Garde Outlets shall be entitled to lift an additional quota up to 5 per cent of such vends’ basic quota without any levy of additional excise duty i.e. at the rate of excise duty as applicable to basic quota. For the purpose of this clause, the basic quota of such vends shall be worked out by dividing the basic quota of the zone with the number of vends in the zone. The licensee shall install necessary fire-fighting equipment and comply with the norms of the Haryana Fire and Emergency

Services Act, 2022, if applicable, in the approved premises.”

Under the Excise Policy (2023-24) “a corporate having minimum covered area of one lakh square feet in a single premises which may be self-owned/leased and having at least 5,000 employees shall be allowed the license in form L-10F for possession and consumption of low alcohol content drinks (i.e. RTB, Beer, Wine) by their employees on premises.”

Elaborating on this, the policy says, “The minimum area of canteen/eatery, where the license in form L-10F may be granted in such a corporate office, must not be less than two thousand square feet. The procedure for grant of license shall be as applicable to the bar licences. The L-10F license shall be granted on payment of a fixed fee of Rs. 10 Lakh per annum, on such terms and conditions as may be specified by the ETC(FC). A security of Rs.3 Lakh shall be paid by the L-10E licensee in addition to the licence fee. Further, the licensed premises shall not be a thoroughfare or connected to any area frequented by the public.”

“The authorised drinking places for on premises consumption of liquor shall be known as – Taverns. Only one Tavern per retail zone shall be allowed. The tavern license shall be granted with the retail vends of liquor only in urban areas and sub-urban areas falling within 5 km from the outer limit of respective Municipal Corporation/ Council/ Committees and borders with other States,” the policy mentions.

“In addition, the Taverns shall also be granted in the areas under Metropolitan Development Authorities (like GMDA, PMDA etc.), and places where HSIIDC has developed Industrial Model Townships and theme/specialized industrial parks like IMT

Manesar, IMT Bawal, IMT Rohtak, IT Park Manesar, IT Park Panchkula, etc,” the policy reads.

The fee for the taverns will be highest in Gurgaon (3 per cent of the license fee of the zone), followed by 2 per cent of the license fee of the zone in Faridabad, Panchkula and Sonipat and 1 per cent of the license fee of the zone in the remaining districts of the state.

On the rules and regulations, the policy says, “The licensee shall have proper structure and furniture and maintain cleanliness and hygienic environment. The licensee shall install necessary fire-fighting equipment and comply with the norms of the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022, if applicable, in the approved premises of Tavern.”

It also says, “Taverns shall not be operated in an open space without boundary. The space has to be confined and enclosed and shall not be a thoroughfare or a crossing being used by the general public. The area of the tavern at ground floor shall be covered with a roof. The space shall not be ordinarily visible to the passersby and the access to such a space should be through a well-defined entry. The overall objective is to prevent drinking in public in full view of the passersby. Taverns can only be operated from adjoining vends. The area of taverns shall be approved by the DETC (Excise) at the time of approval of the tavern and licensee shall not encroach beyond the area approved. Liquor shall not be permitted to be sold or served in any manner in the tavern.”

For serving liquor in social gatherings, including entertainment shows, exhibitions, comedy-shows, magic-shows, mega-shows, celebrity events and other small events, license fee has been hiked from the existing Rs 10,000 (per event) for a gathering of 5,000 persons to Rs 50,000 per event per day.
It has been increased from Rs 1 lakh per event to Rs 2.50 lakh per event per day for gatherings of more than 5,000 persons but less than 25,000 persons.

The fee has been increased from Rs 5 lakh per event to Rs 10 lakh per event per day for a gathering of more than 25,000
people.

The licence may be applied for a maximum period of three days at a time.

Liquor pricing

While no maximum sale price has been fixed for any brand of liquor for the policy year 2023-24, the Minimum Retail Price of some of the brands have been mentioned.

Super-Premium Brands

Indri Single Malt, Kamet Single Malt, Paul John Bold, Black Dog 14 years and above, etc: Rs 3,100

Premium-I

Teacher Golden, 100 piper 12 years, Black Dog 12 years, Teacher 50 etc: Rs 1,850 (bottle), Rs 1,050 (half), Rs 600 (quarter)

Premium-II

Black Dog Centenary, 100 Piper 8 years, Teachers, Black & White, Old Smuggler, VAT 69 etc: Rs 1,550 (bottle), Rs 850 (half), Rs 500 (quarter)

Super Deluxe

Antiquity Blue, McDowell’s Single Malt, Blenders Pride Reserve, Rockford Reserve, Passport etc: Rs 875 (bottle), Rs 525 (half), Rs 275 (quarter)

Deluxe-I

Antiquity Rare whisky, Sterling Reserve B10, Signature Premier etc – Rs 725 (bottle), Rs 425 (half), Rs 225 (quarter)

Deluxe-II

Signature Rare whisky, Smirnoff Vodka, Bacardi Rum, Peter Scot, Blenders Pride, Golfer’s Shot, Rockford Classic, Royal Challenge American Pride etc: Rs 675 (bottle), Rs 375 (half), Rs 225 (quarter)

Deluxe-III

Royal Challenge, Royal Stag, McDowell’s No.1 Platinum, All Seasons, Royal Green, Sterling Reserve B7, Discovery Elite, The Hawkston, Royal Stag Barrel etc: Rs 500 (bottle), Rs. 275 (half), Rs 150 (quarter)

In addition to above, the minimum retail sale price of deluxe brands and above have been fixed at: Rs 2,500 for 4.5 litre; Rs 1,000 for 2 litre; Rs 600 for 1 litre, Rs 400 for 700 ml; Rs 325 for 500 ml, Rs 80 for 275 ml and Rs 60 for 90 ml.

Bottle Beer

Super Mild Beer containing alcoholic content up to 3.5 per cent: Rs 90 per bottle of 650 ml; Rs 75 per bottle of 330 ml

Mild Beer containing alcoholic content above 3.5 per cent and up to 5.5 per cent: Rs 100 per bottle of 650 ml; Rs 85 per bottle of 330 ml

Strong Beer containing alcoholic content above 5.5 per cent: Rs 110 per bottle of 650 ml; Rs 95 per bottle of 330 ml

Canned Beer

Super Mild Beer containing alcoholic content up to 3.5 per cent: Rs 90 per 500 ml can

Mild Beer containing alcoholic content above 3.5 per cent and up to 5.5 per cent: Rs 100 per 500 ml can

Strong Beer containing alcoholic content above 5.5 per cent: Rs 110 per 500 ml can