HP: Liquor to be costly,panel on poor mooted

The state Cabinet on Friday approved the new excise policy proposing a marginal hike in the licence fee and excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor,and allowed the Shimla Municipal Corporation to charge cess at the rate of Rs 2 per bottle of liquor.

The state Cabinet on Friday approved the new excise policy proposing a marginal hike in the licence fee and excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL),and allowed the Shimla Municipal Corporation to charge cess at the rate of Rs 2 per bottle of liquor.

There is a proposal to increase revenue from excise. While the current years target is of Rs 700 crore,the department hopes to raise it to Rs 800 crore next year. Being an election year,the consumption of liquor is expected to be high in the state.

The government has decided to reduce the quota of country liquor because of its falling demand but raised the quota for IMFL,which means there will be more IMFL available in the market as compared to desi daru.

The Cabinet also cleared a proposal to set up an independent Samanya Nirdhan Varg Kalyan Aayog (Commission for Welfare of General Category Poor) to make recommendations for formulation of welfare and developmental policies for the economically backward sections of general categories.

The Cabinet meeting,which was presided over by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal,decided to reverse its decision of December 3,2011 to impose token tax. The notification issued will be withdrawn to give relief to private transporters and taxi operators who had gone on strike earlier last week.

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