New tenders for all unsold liquor shops
The state government will be inviting fresh applications for the 893 liquor retail outlets that have found no takers. Of the 6,596 outlets for which applications had been invited across the state, the authorities made allotments for 5,703 on Tuesday through a draw of lots. The government netted a revenue of Rs 170 crore through sale of applications which costs Rs 25,000 each.
As many as 60 shops in the twin cities and 116 in the neighbouring Ranga Reddy district did not get a single application. The government has asked the concerned district collectors to issue a notification on Wednesday inviting fresh applications for the unclaimed outlets. With hardly four days left for the new excise year to commence and doubts being raised about the response for the unclaimed outlets in the second round of applications, the state’s revenues are likely to be hit. The government has already lost nearly Rs 1,000 crore because of the shift from open auction to the fixed licence fee system.
High licence fee deters retailers
In many areas, prospective bidders for the liquor retail outlets stayed away from the process complaining that the licence fee fixed by the excise department was too high and not viable if MRP was strictly enforced. The enforcement of MRP and ACB's drive against liquor syndicates too has instilled fear among traders.
According to reports, 78 shops have had no takers in Visakhapatnam district, 44 in Krishna, 135 in East Godavari (which has 555 outlets, the highest in the state), 26 in Nellore and 17 in Nizamabad.
However, the government's efforts to break the syndicates partially succeeded with new entrants securing licences in some places. While in the twin cities, Ranga Reddy, Mahbubnagar and Nizamabad, benamis of existing syndicates got hold of shops, in places like Visakhapatnam, the hold of syndicates loosened with just five shops being bagged by a well-known syndicate.
Women seek prohibition, go on rampage
Demanding prohibition, a large number of women on Tuesday went on a rampage, destroying liquor bottles and furniture of a liquor shop and a dhaba in Bhupalapatnam village in the mandal. According to sources, nearly 500 women belonging to various Self-Help and Dwacra groups attacked liquor shops and dhabas. They destroyed liquor bottles and furniture, and later locked the liquor shop. They demanded that the authorities take steps to close the liquor shop and the dhaba as they were ruining their families. The women later organised a rasta roko and submitted a memorandum to the tahsildar, demanding that officials respond and take steps to remove the wine shop and dhaba. The women withdrew the agitation after the police assured them that steps would be taken to close the shop and dhaba.
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