Now, country spirit in glass bottles

Newindpress, 31st March, 2008

Monday March 31 2008 12:52 IST
ENS

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government has decided to sell country spirit in glass bottles. At present it is being sold in 200 ml poly packs.According to the excise guidelines for 2008-09, all the existing country spirit shops will be renewed for 2008-09 with 10 percent increase in consideration money after observing all formalities in this regard. The licence fee for manufacture and supply of country spirit will be Rs 20 lakh per annum.Unsettled country spirit shops in 10 districts may be given to Aska Cooperative Sugar Industries Limited, other State Government undertakings and cooperative organisations at the reserve price fixed by the State Government. However, they will have to operate these shops under their own management.They will not be allowed to sub-lease these shops under any circumstances. The guidelines say that in case any existing country spirit shop remains unsettled, the collector may take immediate steps for settlement of the same by way of inviting applications. In case more than one application is received, the shops will be settled by way of draw of lotteries.Before supplying the country spirit in glass bottles, the manufacturer will have to get the labels registered and the label registration fee of Rs 15,000 per annum per label will be charged.However, in each of the districts where country spirit is prevalent, a committee for prevention of illicit liquor will have to be formed with collector as chairman, superintendent of police as the vigilance officer and superintendent of excise as the convenor-cum-secretary. The committee will review from time to time the functioning of country spirit shops and formulate strategies to prevent illicit distillation of liquor and detect the sources of spurious and non-duty paid liquor.Besides, the licences of all the existing out still shops operating in 20 districts - Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Balangir, Sonepur, Kalahandi, Nuapara, Boudh, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Angul, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Gajapati and Dhenkanal - will be renewed for 2008-09 with 10 percent increase in consideration money.The collectors may allow 10 branch shops to be operated by each exclusive privilege holder with a monthly licence fee of Rs 5,000 per branch shop up to five branch shops and Rs 3,000 for each of the subsequent branch shops. The utilisation fee of mahua flower will be Rs 222 per quintal and any shop once settled and starts functioning will not be shifted ordinarily within a financial year.The excise duty on bhang has been fixed at Rs 300 per kilogram. All the existing licences for bhang, tari and pochwai shops have been renewed for 2008-09 with 10 percent increase in consideration money.