BHUBANESWAR: The state excise department on Thursday said it has received over 19,000 applications for a number of liquor shops, which would be settled through fresh lottery.
The state government recently notified that all the India made foreign liquor (IMFL) OFF shops as well as the extra neutral alcohol (ENA) based country liquor (CL) shops would be allotted through lottery.
A total of 1156 IMFL-OFF shops and 240 CL counters have been out to lottery. The last date for submission of the applications is already over in many districts whereas for some districts the last date is April 3.
“We have received a total of 19416 applications for 1297 shops so far with an average of 15 applications per shop. Out of this, 18530 applications have been received for 1132 IMFL OFF shops. Total 27 excise districts out of 31 have received applications for all the IMFL OFF shops. The remaining 24 shops, most of which are in Cuttack district are likely to receive applications by the last date,” an excise department official said.
Altogether 886 applications have been received against 165 CL shops. The lottery in all the 31 excise districts will be completed by April 9 and all the licenses to the fresh allottees will be issued by April 15.
“The settlement of shops through fresh lottery is being done in a very fair and transparent manner. It would break the cartel which had been operating over a period of time as the majority of these shops were being controlled directly or indirectly by a small number of players,” the officer said.
Most of the existing retailers have been continuing for over 15-20 years on the basis of annual renewal of their licences. “The applications were invited online and the lottery will be conducted by concerned district collectors in presence of the applicants. The lottery initiative has been taken up under the government’s 5T action plan,” the officer said.