Country Spirit Liquor Retail Traders’ Association reacts to sale of foreign liquor through e-tendering process

TINSUKIA: The Country Spirit Liquor Retail Traders’ Association (CSLRTA) intensely reacted to the latest gazette notification pertaining to the sale of foreign liquor in shopping mall through e-or cover- tendering process and demanded to roll back the clause for the greater interest of Assamese traders.

In a press meet at Tinsukia Press Club on Tuesday, the president of CSLRTA Biju Kardong stated that the Government of Assam amended the Assam Excise Rules 2016 on June 30, 2023 and inserted procedure for grant of IMFL ‘OFF’ licence to commercial establishment and shopping mall under 114(A) (1) (2) granting premium ‘OFF’ shops to sell IMFL, BIO & BII liquor. While the bidding will be through cover- or E-tendering process, the licence fee of premium ‘OFF’ shop licence would be Rs 4 lakh per annum. Kardong contended that the liquor business would be taken over by corporate and big industrialists leaving the local traders high and dry. He also opined that the way the foreign liquor was attached to country liquor by amendment of Assam Excise Act 2016, if done vice-versa, the Government can earn Rs 30-40 crore revenue annually.

The other members of CSLRTA further told that the Government instead increasing number of foreign liquor shops, the authority should facilitate selling of foreign liquor in existing country liquor outlets which also will give check in the trading of illicit liquor and illegal Arunachalee liquor.

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