Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Aug 27: The state government has issued an official order permitting the opening of 900 new Mysore Sales International Ltd (MSIL) in Karnataka. At the same time, it also has made changes in the Excise Act, permitting the existing 463 MSIL outlets to shift from one gram panchayat to another within the same district.

At the same time, the 463 outlets currently functioning have been allowed to shift from one gram panchayat to the other.

Representational image

In May this year, the government had ordered changes through Karnataka Excise Rules 2020 and given time for filing of objections. As no objections were filed during the period, the state excise department, through an order issued on Wednesday, August 26 brought an amendment to Karnataka Excise Rules Act 1967. The changes will be effective from the date of their publication in the next gazette.

The government has added two more rules to the existing rule 23 of this act.

When the Congress government proposed to open 900 new MSIL liquor outlets in 2016, there was bitter opposition. The government had then dropped the proposal. The state government, which is finding ways and means to recoup the revenue loss due to corona, has now ordered for the opening of 900 outlets.

Now, 900 CL 11 (c) stalls have been allowed to be shifted from one gram panchayat to the other and there is a provision to identify the spot where the stalls will come up as per the discretion of the MLAs concerned.