1,400 new bars may come up in State

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MARCH 9.

About 1,400 new bars may come up in the State under the new excise policy that comes into effect April 1. The State Government has permitted opening of bars subject to certain conditions and increased licence fee for liquor (IMFL) shops by about 15 per cent with the provision to open new shops "wherever necessary".

Bars were allowed till now in 80 star hotels and 20 clubs in the State. Bars can be opened in all municipal towns and cities and tourism centres, except pilgrim centres such as Tirumala, Srisailam, Yadagirigutta and Simhachalam. However, the policy regarding toddy shops has been retained in its present form. The changes in the Excise policy formulated after consultations with political parties at an all-party meeting recently, will come into effect April 1. The Commissioner for Excise, Mr Asutosh Misra, said the rules and regulations facilitating these changes would be issued within a week.

The conditions specified for opening a bar are decent seating facilities in separate room, with a minimum plinth area of 25 sq metres, where liquor and meals are served, A/C facility, adequate parking place along with toilets and wash-basins and a minimum distance to be maintained from another bar.

The changes in policy are expected to mobilise an additional revenue of about Rs 300 crores. The total income under Excise may go up to Rs 2,720 crores, from the current Rs 2,420 crores, according to Mr C. Jayaprakash Reddy, Joint Commissioner. The IMFL retail outlets which currently number 6,500, may also increase.

The other major changes incorporated in the new policy are permission to open the liquor shops an hour in advance every day from 10.30 am instead of from 11.30 am as at present, and close them by 10.30 pm, to facilitate the shop-owners to "update stock registers, book of accounts and attend bank works" and to shift a shop from one location to another within village/town/station limit of the municipal corporation by a payment of Rs 10,000.

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Section  : Southern States
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