Ponty Chadha deserts Mohali,applicants for liquor vends shrink

From 3,700 applications received for the allotment of 116 liquor vends during 2008-09,the number of applicants for 110 liquor vends to be allotted in Mohali district for 2009-10 has come down to 2,180.

Confirming the development,Mohali Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner Baldeep Kaur told Newsline that while the number of liquor vends have been decreased (from 116 to 110),the licensing amount for allotment has been increased from Rs 42.3 crore in 2008 to Rs 47.24 crore for 2009.

Kaur said the 110 liquor vends for retail sale of Punjab Medium Liquor and Indian-Made Foreign Liquor have been divided into 56 licensing groups,of which 26 will be allotted in urban areas,20 in rural areas and another 10 in rural areas. Of the urban area vends,24 will be located in the district headquarters while 34 would be opened in the sub-divisional headquarters in this district.

The allotment will be made by way of draw of lots of liquor licenses,which will be held in the presence of Deputy Commissioner or his representative and a senior official from the Excise and Taxation Department at Bassi Cinema Complex in Phase II here on March 20 at 9 am.

According to the terms and conditions,the applicant will have to take a minimum of three units at the district headquarter and two units at sub-divisional headquarter categories.

The lucky applicants will have to deposit 5 per cent of the total allotment price at the time of selection while the rest will be payable in yearly equated instalments.