Meanwhile, as per the new policy, the authorised drinking places for on premises consumption of liquor will be known as – Taverns. The Haryana government has introduced a new excise policy for the year 2023-24, which includes avant-garde (posh liquor vends in malls/shopping complexes) outlets, wooden or granite flooring, permission of employees to consume beer/wine in corporate offices (with 5,000 employees or more), liquor vends in Industrial Model Townships and ban on open-air taverns.
The 2023-24 excise policy, which will be effective from June 12, was approved by the Haryana Council of Ministers on May 9.
According to the new liquor policy, a licence (L-10F) for consumption of low-content alcoholic beverages on the grounds of a corporate office would be issued if the office has a minimum covered area of one lakh square feet at a single premises.
“The procedure for grant of licence shall be as applicable to the bar licences. The L-10F licence shall be granted on payment of an annual fixed fee of Rs 10 lakh on terms and conditions specified by the excise and taxation commissioner,” the policy said.
The L-10F licence will be granted for a corporate office if the canteen or eatery has a minimum area of 2,000 square feet.
“A security of Rs 3 lakh shall be paid by the L-10E licensee in addition to the licence fee. Further, the licensed premises shall not be a thoroughfare or connected to any area frequented by the public,” the policy added.
As per the new policy, a liquor licensee has been given an option to “convert one or more of his composite vends to Avant-Garde Outlet(s) in a posh market or shopping mall of the urban area, where the licensee intends to sell IMFL only. For this purpose, some of the retail outlets in the posh markets or shopping malls of the urban areas shall be identified to be allotted as Avant-Garde Outlets”.
“Further, any retail licensee in urban areas having licence fee of his zone – (a) equal to or above Rs 15 crore in case of Gurugram and Faridabad; (b) equal to or above Rs 5 crore in case of remaining districts, shall have the option to convert his vend into Avant-Garde Outlet after allotment of vends, by making an application to the Excise Department,” the policy mentions.
The policy further mentions: “The Department, keeping in view the clientele and potential of the area, shall identify the Avant-Garde Outlets. These Avant-Garde Outlets shall have to be air conditioned and should have good quality flooring i.e. wooden/ vitrified tiles/ granite etc. The vends should be well decorated with shelves so that various brands are displayed in shelves with a systematic layout plan.”
It added, “The licensee shall display the brand wise rates. The licensee shall issue machine-generated invoices (POS). The customers shall have the facility to walk in the shops and select his/ her choice of brand from the shelves. The Avant-Garde Outlets shall be located in shopping malls or SCO/ SCF or well-constructed prefabricated structures of equal quality only in posh market areas.”
Meanwhile, as per the new policy, the authorised drinking places for on premises consumption of liquor will be known as – Taverns. “Only one Tavern per retail zone shall be allowed. The tavern license shall be granted with the retail vends of liquor only in urban areas and sub-urban areas falling within 5 km from the outer limit of respective Municipal Corporation/ Council/ Committees and borders with other States,” the policy added.
“In addition, the Taverns shall also be granted in the areas under Metropolitan Development Authorities (like GMDA, PMDA etc.), and places where HSIIDC has developed Industrial Model Townships and theme/specialized industrial parks like IMT Manesar, IMT Bawal, IMT Rohtak, IT Park Manesar, IT Park Panchkula, etc,” the policy read.
The fee for the taverns will be the most expensive in Gurgaon (3 per cent of the zone's licence fee), then in Faridabad, Panchkula, and Sonipat (2 per cent of the zone's licence fee), and in the remaining districts of the state (1 per cent of the zone's licence fee).
The policy shed some light on the rules and regulations which read that the licensee will have proper structure and furniture and maintain cleanliness and hygienic environment. “The licensee shall install necessary fire-fighting equipment and comply with the norms of the Haryana Fire and Emergency Services Act, 2022, if applicable, in the approved premises of Tavern,” the policy added.
It also says, “Taverns shall not be operated in an open space without boundary. The space has to be confined and enclosed and shall not be a thoroughfare or a crossing being used by the general public. The area of the tavern at ground floor shall be covered with a roof. The space shall not be ordinarily visible to the passersby and the access to such a space should be through a well-defined entry. The overall objective is to prevent drinking in public in full view of the passersby. Taverns can only be operated from adjoining vends. The area of taverns shall be approved by the DETC (Excise) at the time of approval of the tavern and licensee shall not encroach beyond the area approved. Liquor shall not be permitted to be sold or served in any manner in the tavern.”
The licence price for serving spirits in social gatherings, such as entertainment shows, exhibitions, comedy performances, magic shows, mega-shows, celebrity events and other small events, has been raised from Rs 10,000 (per event) for a gathering of 5,000 people to Rs 50,000 per event per day.
For gatherings of more than 5,000 but less than 25,000 people, the fee has been raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh per event per day. For gatherings of more than 25,000 people, the charge has been raised from Rs 5 lakh per event to Rs 10 lakh per event per day. The licence can be obtained for a maximum of three days at a time.