Under contractors’ pressure, Punjab may amend liquor policy

Also, the contractors were protesting against the payment of monthly instalment to be made by 10th of every month. Earlier, the contractors had to pay the instalment on the 30th of every month. They were also protesting against refunding of security which was to be done in the next fiscal year. The contractors demanded that this should be adjusted in the last instalments of the payment.

“We have planned to amend the policy. The decision could be out anytime now,” a government functionary said.

If the government makes these amendments, its revenue target of Rs 10,000 crore annually may be affected. The government was eying an enhancement of revenue from liquor by 40 per cent annually. The AAP had in its pre-poll promise assured that it would earn the state exchequer Rs 10,000 crore from liquor itself.

Sources said that these objections were raised by contractors in the pre-bid conference on Sunday. The excise department had already put up the matter before the Chief Minister.

After registering poor response in e-auction on Thursday, the government postponed the last date for auction of groups in Ludhiana division on June 21.

Sources said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was not in favour of enhancing the security amount, and slashing the price of beer and IMFL. But then the government had gone ahead.