Consumer will have to wait for another couple days to buy liquor from private retail shops due to closure of banks on Monday and other process that delayed liquor shop license holders to open their shops on due date, which was April 01.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) gave green signal for opening of over 1,350 new private run retail liquor shops across the State on Sunday. The department started distributing licenses one after one to the shop-owners on Monday. After getting their licenses the holder will apply for the permission to open liquor shop on given spot and it will also take a day or two.
After getting the permission the license holder will submit a fixed amount to get their liquor stock for the shop. To procure liquor stock from Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Limited the shop owners will apply at same time and it will again be difficult for the corporation to provide liquor stocks.
The sale timing for private retail shops would be from 11 AM to 11 PM as opposed to 1 PM to 10 PM, which was the timing for government shops.
The annual revenue target from the shops for Year 2019-20 has been set for Rs. 1,558 crore, which is Rs 558 crore more than the target of Rs. 1000 crore for Financial Year 2018-19.
Worried over the loss of revenue State government would have to face if the private liquor shops did not start from April 1, the State Excise and Prohibition Department sought permission from the ECI for starting the shops on the said time, instead of waiting two months for the Lok Sabha elections to get over.
Also, if the liquor shops remain closed it will create a disruption in the supply chain, leading to illegal manufacture and sale which might be hazardous.
Backing up the department's request, the Chief Electoral Officer of Jharkhand wrote in the letter to ECI that denial of opening of new shops will bring a loss of Rs. 200 crore in April and May and will also lead to illicit liquor business, leading to adverse law and order situation in the State which may affect smooth conduct of election.
