The Delhi excise department is all set to re-launch the old excise regime from September 1, said officials, adding that the department is also going to roll out a public-friendly application, ‘Aabkari’, for the first time, for ease of doing business and for information about liquors shops.
A government official said, “This will be the excise department’s first-of-its-kind app and is being launched along the lines of the Centre’s Digital India initiative from September. The public can download the application from Google Play Store. The IOS version will also be available shortly.” Through the app, consumers can identify the nearest liquor shops, availability of liquor, dry days, list of retail vends and their timing. It will also have a bottle scanner tool to check the genuineness of liquor.
On bringing back the old excise regime, officials said the department is all set and the policy will come into effect from September 1. On the first day, more than 300 liquor vends will open across the city and by the end of the first week, more than 500 shops will become operational, including premium vends in malls and shopping complexes.
“About 250 Indian and 250 foreign liquor distributors have applied. Of these, more than 50 have been approved. Around 80 wholesalers/manufacturers have been approved and over 300 brands have been approved for selling liquor,” the official added.
“The existing import pass fee, 1% VAT and 1% retail fee will go. So, the MRP of liquor may slightly come down but it will not increase… The prices will be more or less the same as we have not allowed any supplier to increase prices of quarts… The registration of brands is also bound to increase,” said the official.
“The current per day consumption of liquor on an average is 12-13 lakh bottles, so we have enough stocks for the first seven days… After that, stocks will keep coming. It will be assured that Delhi does not go dry under the old excise regime,” said the official. The revenue department has collected Rs 135 crore even before the old policy came into effect and the opening of shops, said officials.
