CHANDIGARH: After neighbouring Chandigarh, the Punjab government is set to allow reopening of its liquor vends and also permit doorstep delivery of alcohol in non-containment zones from Thursday. There will, however, be no home delivery of country-made liquor.
Sources said the proposal mooted by the state's excise and taxation department had been approved and liquor shops will be allowed to open with the same schedule of 9 am to 1 pm as other shops. Doorstep delivery will be allowed between 1pm to 7 pm. A formal announcement of the guidelines is, however, still awaited.
Even as the online sale of liquor has been justified for being a solution to avoid crowding at vends, there are some in the ruling Congress party who are not too convinced about the home delivery of liquor. “We will give our opinion in the cabinet in case the proposal is brought up for discussion on Wednesday. Otherwise, the CM, who holds the excise department, is authorised to decide,” said a minister, requesting anonymity.
Pb seeks clarity on online booze delivery in Mohali
However, there are indications that the Cabinet meeting could be postponed by a day.
The opposition too is apprehensive about the move. SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the liquor vends had to reopen sometime, but added the Congress government seemed to be pursuing resumption of liquor trade on priority while ignoring other basic needs of the general public. “In states where vends have opened before us, social distancing has not been properly followed and we need to tread with caution,” he added.
AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan added, “If the state government is allowing liquor shops to generate revenue, why the interests of small-time traders who operate shops are being ignored.”
Earlier, Punjab had written to the Centre seeking a nod for opening of liquor shops in the state to generate revenue during the lockdown. The state had also sought a separate clarification if it could resume its online delivery in Mohali district.
On Saturday, chief minister Amarinder Singh had, in an interview, indicated that sale of liquor would begin from Thursday to generate excise duty and after the decision on Saturday; a couple of days were required for liquor contractors to fill up stocks.
A section of the liquor contractors, meanwhile, are not too enthused about the online delivery system as they see it as a burden on the logistics.
Punjab excise and taxation commissioner Vivek Partap Singh was not available for comments as his phone was switched off.
Sources said the proposal mooted by the state's excise and taxation department had been approved and liquor shops will be allowed to open with the same schedule of 9 am to 1 pm as other shops. Doorstep delivery will be allowed between 1pm to 7 pm. A formal announcement of the guidelines is, however, still awaited.
Even as the online sale of liquor has been justified for being a solution to avoid crowding at vends, there are some in the ruling Congress party who are not too convinced about the home delivery of liquor. “We will give our opinion in the cabinet in case the proposal is brought up for discussion on Wednesday. Otherwise, the CM, who holds the excise department, is authorised to decide,” said a minister, requesting anonymity.
Pb seeks clarity on online booze delivery in Mohali
However, there are indications that the Cabinet meeting could be postponed by a day.
The opposition too is apprehensive about the move. SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema said the liquor vends had to reopen sometime, but added the Congress government seemed to be pursuing resumption of liquor trade on priority while ignoring other basic needs of the general public. “In states where vends have opened before us, social distancing has not been properly followed and we need to tread with caution,” he added.
AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan added, “If the state government is allowing liquor shops to generate revenue, why the interests of small-time traders who operate shops are being ignored.”
Earlier, Punjab had written to the Centre seeking a nod for opening of liquor shops in the state to generate revenue during the lockdown. The state had also sought a separate clarification if it could resume its online delivery in Mohali district.
On Saturday, chief minister Amarinder Singh had, in an interview, indicated that sale of liquor would begin from Thursday to generate excise duty and after the decision on Saturday; a couple of days were required for liquor contractors to fill up stocks.
A section of the liquor contractors, meanwhile, are not too enthused about the online delivery system as they see it as a burden on the logistics.
Punjab excise and taxation commissioner Vivek Partap Singh was not available for comments as his phone was switched off.
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