Big demand for licenses for booze outlets in Karnataka
From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Nov 18: Believe it or not, Karnataka is witnessing a big demand for setting up liquor shops in all taluks across the State.
The total number of applications pending before the State Excise Department for grant of liquor shops in all the 176 taluks in the State is a whopping 900 as on date.
The demand is such that in many of the taluks, there are proposals pending before the State Excise Department for establishing as many as five to six liquor shops in most of the taluks, with the demand going much higher in some of the taluks, according to Karnataka’s Excise Minister Satish Jarkiholi.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore on Monday, the minister said the demand had piled up in view of the decision of the Veerappa Moily government in the State to ban issue of fresh CL-2 licenses for setting up of retail booze outlets and CL-9 licenses for opening bars in December 1992.
Though the population of the State has increased many times to touch 6.2 crore at present and the haphazard location of existing shops in different taluks, especially in urban centres, Jarkiholi said many persons have been applying for grant of fresh licences to successive governments in the past.
Jarkiholi said the existing liquor shops were located at a distance of 20 kms (distance between one shop to another) in some taluks, there was a huge demand to open new shops.
To Discuss with CM and All Party Meet
In view of the heavy pendency of applications, he said the Excise Department has decided to discuss the issue with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and later in an all-party meeting before reaching any decision.
The Moily government’s ban on issuing fresh licences to liquor shops in the State had resulted in mushrooming up unauthorised outlets, especially in rural areas.
Liquor is available in petty shops, vegetables stalls and other unlicensed business establishments and this has resulted not only in non-payment of license fee but has also become a nuisance to the people, the minister said.
The ban on issuing fresh CL-2 (liquor shops) and CL-9 (bars) licences continues in the State despite three proposals sent by the Department of Excise to lift the ban, including one after the Karnataka High Court directed it to do so under Rule 12 of the Karnataka Excise Act in 2010.
Still, a good number of people have been operating illicit liquor business in Bijapur, Belguam and Bagalkote districts.
Govt Ready to Rehabilitate Illicit Liquor Vendors
The Excise Department has decided to rehabilitate such families if they come out of the illicit trade.
A plan has been prepared to rehabilitate 2000 families who were earlier indulged in spurious liquor business, Jarkiholi said.
To a query, he said there was no proposal before the Government to sell cheap variety of liquor.
1200 Vacancies Being Filled Up
The Excise Department has commenced recruitment drive and 1200 vacancies would be filled in the next two years.
A process has been commenced for recruitment of 500 inspectors and guards.
The recruitment has been delayed owing to delay in the President’s assent for the Constitutional amendment for a special status to the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, he said.
On the revenue front, the Minister said the collection reached Rs. 6,000 crore in the first six months of the current fiscal year. A target has been set at Rs 12,400 crore for 2013-14.
The last year’s (2012-13) revenue was Rs. 11,400 crore, he said.