Entertainment dept gets 50 applications seeking permission for year-end events

The squads,comprising officers of the rank of deputy collector and other officers,would visit party venues to check if the organisers have the required police permits and clearances from the department. “We will conduct checks on events being organised for both Christmas and New Year,’’ she said.

While the office of the police commissioner will be responsible for raids in the city,the entertainment department will conduct random checks at parties and events at farmhouses. The organisers will also have to pay entertainment tax if they are selling tickets for entry.

As per the guidelines,an no objection certificate obtained from the city and rural police has to be cleared by the entertainment department. While there is a 20 per cent tax on total number of tickets sold in the city,it is 15 per cent in the rural areas. If a club hires the services of a disc jockey,it would have to pay Rs 5,000 as additional fee.

Meanwhile,the excise department said they are yet to receive applications seeking liquor permits.

AB Chaskar,Head,state excise department,said the permits would be issued a day before the events. “As of now,we have not received any application for one-day permits,’’ he said.

The department normally receives applications between December 27-30.

In terms of sales and revenue collection,the department has already bettered the average as compared to last year and are hoping that the New Year sales will increase the revenue further. The department has already registered an increase of 18.43 per cent in revenue collection as against last year. Last year,the revenue collection stood at Rs 640.87 crore,while this year it is Rs 758.98 crore. The department said the sales figures too have gone up this year.