Now, dig deeper into your pocket for the daily swig

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tipplers may soon have to burn a bigger hole in their pockets as government has tripled the permit rates for transportation of liquor from warehouses to retail shops. Government has also doubled the rates for issuing no-objection certificates (NOC) and permits for transporting raw spirit from outside the state. Through this increase, government expects to earn an additional sum of Rs 15 crore a year.

According to the notification issued by the taxes department on Wednesday, government has increased the fee for issuing permits for transporting liquor - from distilleries to warehouses and from warehouses to retail outlets - from Rs 500 (existing) to Rs 1,500. Retail outlets include Bevco shops, bar hotels, beer and wine parlours and clubs.

"The government has made a substantial hike in the rates for permits. This in turn will increase transportation cost, which will reflect in retail rates of liquor sold through bar hotels," said Kerala Bar Hotels Association president Sunil Kumar.

But, Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco) that sells liquor through its outlets, is unlikely to pass on the extra burden to consumers and would shell out the extra money from its profits.

The excise department issues approximately 250 permits a day for transporting liquor from distilleries to warehouses and another 8-10 permits a day for transporting liquor from each of the 23 warehouses across the state to various retail outlets. At present, retailers pay Rs 500 for a permit to carry one load in which a maximum of 720 cases of liquor can be carried.

In addition to the fee hike, government also increased the charges for NOCs and permits to transport spirit from outside the state. The rate for NOC and permit are Rs 1,000 each; this has been increased to Rs 2,000. The excise issues (on an average) 3,000 NOCs and 15,000 permits every year. A permit is issued to transport 20,000 litres of spirit. The notification, in this regard, has come into force from Wednesday and the excise officials have already begun collecting the arrears for the passes that were issued on Wednesday.

The government had already hiked liquor prices last month with an aim to collect Rs 230 crore in 100 days for flood relief operations, through sales tax and excise duty.

After LDF government decided to provide bar licence to all three-star hotels and those above, there are 429 bar hotels, 468 beer and wine parlours and 36 clubs in addition to 306 outlets of Bevco and Consumerfed.