Chandigarh May 6- Haryana Cabinet which met under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal here today approved New Excise Policy for the year 2022-23. The Current Excise year is applicable upto June 11, 2022.

While, the first time ever, for the second consecutive year, there would be almost no default in payment of licence fee. The Excise Revenue collections in Financial Year 2021-22 were Rs. 7938.8 crore as against Rs. 6791.98 crore in the Financial Year 2020-21, which is 17 percent higher.

As per the new Policy, in 2022-23, the liquor vends shall be auctioned through e-tender of retail zones (comprising of maximum 4 retail shops). For Ease of Doing Business, the powers to approve brands/labels having no change from the previous year are delegated to the Deputy Excise and Taxation Commissioner (DETC).

The Permission of operation in additional shifts to manufactories would be granted on annual basis as against quarterly basis presently. Besides this, the power to renew licence and grant additional points in existing bars has been delegated to the DETCs.  Also, the approval of new labels/brands will be done online. To encourage responsible drinking, low alcoholic beverages will be promoted.

Import Duty on wine slashed

In the new policy the Import Duty on wine slashed from Rs. 7 to Rs. 2 per BL.  The Letter of Intent fee for establishing Wine manufactory are slashed down from Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 1 lakh.  There would be no increase in the f bar licence fee.

Furthermore, Morni added in the list of places where bar licencees can be granted to promote tourism and adventure sport. Bars and clubs located anywhere in the State can now seek bar licence.

Bars and retail vends can now have the flexibility to operate longer after payment of additional fees. The basic quota of CL and IMFL shall be 1100 lakh proof litre and 650 lakh proof litre respectively, which is around 4 percent higher than last year. Besides this, there would be no fixed quota of country liquor allotted to distilleries so the licences will have full freedom to choose brands of any distillery.  There would be a marginal increase in the licence fee of wholesale licences of country liquor and IMFL.

No change in the minimum retail sale price of most brands of country liquor and IMFS

In the new Policy, there is no change in the minimum retail sale price of most brands of country liquor and IMFS except Metro liquor where there is a marginal increase. The Sale of IMFL brands of Ex Distillery Issue Price (EDP) lesser than Rs. 1050 per case shall not be allowed as against Rs. 950 till date to ensure that quality improves.

The licence fee for wholesale of distillers, non-distillers and breweries has been rationalized so that the wholesalers of brands having lesser sale volume will get their licences at a reduced licence fee.

Also, there will be no increase in Excise Duty of most IMFL brands. Rather IMFL brands above Rs. 5000 per case shall attract slightly lesser Excise Duty in order to ward off the challenge coming from a neighbouring State.

Excise Duty of Whisky and Wine reduced

In order to ward off any possibility of in-flow of Imported Foreign Liquor (Bottled In Origin) from one of the neighbouring States, Excise Duty of Whisky and Wine is being reduced from Rs. 225 per PL/BL to Rs. 75 per PL/BL.  Similarly, the assessment fee for supplies to Bars has also been reduced.

VAT on Imported Foreign Liquor slashed

The VAT on Imported Foreign Liquor slashed down from 10 percent to 3 percent and reduced from 13-14 percent to 12 percent in case of Country Liquor, Wine, Beer and IMFL, etc.

Rentals fixed at 6 percent per annum

Rentals for lands of Government agencies in urban areas are fixed at 6 percent per annum of the Collector Rate in case the size is less than 500 meters.

Besides this, High Security Holograms with Track and Trace System shall be implemented. Flow meters will be installed in all distilleries and bottling plants. The monitoring of liquor manufactories’ facilities will be done through High Security CCTV cameras. For better control over the inter-state movement of liquor, Transit Slips shall be introduced and Point of Sale (POS) machines shall be installed in all liquor vends and bars.