Punjab: Tripartite meet on hike in liquor rates on Wednesday

LUDHIANA: In a big development on the ongoing issue of the price hike by the liquor contractors for hospitality industry, a tripartite meeting of the contractors, hospitality industry representatives and the senior officials of the excise department.
Though all the parties are tight lipped about tomorrow’s meeting but TOI has learnt from sources that meeting will be presided over by joint commissioner level officer in which officials from Excise Department’s Ludhiana Division will also remain present. The meeting will take place at 10.30am and will be held at Mohali office of the department.
Sources also revealed that the meeting is fallout of the representation submitted by the Hotel and Restaurant industry to the additional chief secretary (ACS) to chief minister recently. In the representation given to the ACS the businessmen had complained against some liquor contractors who had issued the new rate list of liquor for hotels, bars, restaurants and marriage palaces.
Besides this the issue of some contractors forcing the hospitality industry to buy liquor mandatorily from the nearest vend to their property was also raised by the businessmen. ACS had then assured the businessmen that action on their complaint will be taken and no one will be allowed to flout the rules set by the state government.