The Haryana Cabinet on Tuesday decided to levy “COVID cess” on all types of liquor in the State with effect from Wednesday.
“A COVID cess shall be levied on all types of liquor. The COVID Cess will be ₹5 per quart in case of country liquor, ₹20 per quart in case of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL), ₹5 in case of strong beer and ₹2 in case of other beer, and ₹50 per pack greater than 375 ML in case of imported foreign liquor (IFL),” said the statement.
The timings of operation of liquor retail vends will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., both in urban and rural areas, an official statement said.
The meeting, which was chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal, approved certain changes in the excise policy for 2020-21 in the wake of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was decided that the excise policy of the State government for the year 2020-21 shall come into force with effect from May 6, 2020, and remain effective till May 19, 2021,” the statement said.
Further, it said that the validity period of the L-2, L-14 A and other concomitant licences shall be up to May 19, 2021, and all the licensees shall operate their licences at the same licence fee at which these were allotted before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The payment schedule for payment of security and licence fee has been reworked so as to provide flexibility to the licensees in order to overcome the difficulty of prevailing cash crunch. The retail licensees shall operate strictly in accordance with the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, it said.
It added that no liquor vend shall be allowed to operate in the containment zones.
VAT Act amendment
The Cabinet also approved amendment in the Haryana Value Added Tax Act, 2003, to enable the State government to extend the time limits specified in, or prescribed or notified under the Act, so that assessments for the year 2016-17 or other proceedings that could not be finalised or initiated on account of the lockdown could be completed.
The amendment shall be carried out by promulgation of an Ordinance, said the statement.