Auction of 90 % liquor vends in state completed: Abhimanyu

Haryana Excise and Taxation Minister Abhimanyu today said the government had completed the auctioning of 90 per cent liquor vends in the state.

The state is expected to achieve 11 to 12 per cent revenue growth from the auction of vends, an official release quoting the minister said here.

The department's revenue collection has increased from Rs 27 crore last year to Rs 62.50 crore this year. The reserve price was Rs 50 crore this year, Abhimanyu said.

The minister attributed the growth in revenue to the department's e-tendering system.

The Haryana Excise and Taxation Department has made all its services, including issuing of permits, online. The new experiments in the system have yielded encouraging results, Abhimanyu said.

For the first time, the government has decided to invite bids for wholesale licenses for Imported Foreign Liquor to increase revenue, he said.

On a question on banning liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways, Abhimanyu said Haryana is a responsible state and the government had not done anything against the Supreme Court's directives.

"The state government has been complying with the apex court's directives and has still managed to generate more revenue," he said.

Regarding the Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said it would be implemented from July 1 in the state.

The GST Council would hold three to four meetings before July and a decision would soon be taken on rate fitments, Abimanyu said.

The registration of dealers is in an advance stage and a programme has been prepared for imparting training to stakeholders over the next three months, he said. (MORE)

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)