Rons Bantwal

Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai (EP)

Mumbai, Jan 31: The delegation of Federation of Hotel and Restaurant association in the leadership of Dr Virar Shanker B Shetty visited Vijay Namdev Rao, Maharashtra cabinet minister of Relief and Rehabilitation at his official bungalow, explained to him the problems being faced by the hotel industry and requested to solve them at the earliest.

They requested to waive the excise fees at least for the year 2022-23. Their other requests were to reduce GST to 2% instead of the current 5%, relief in electricity bills by recognizing the hotel industry as the industrial unit, abolishing of the need of liquor permit to consume liquor, abolishing of the system of restaurant area and permit room area, stop illegal sale of liquor at road side dabbas, lay down clear terms about VAT for sale of liquor on parcel basis, collect VAT from distillery and brewery instead of permit rooms and abolishing of profession tax for the hotel industry.

Federation senior vice president Shama S Shetty, honorary chief secretary Durgaprasad C Salian and advisory committee president Kalathur Vishwanath Shetty were present.

The minister assured that Covid restrictions will be relaxed in Mumbai and surrounding districts before this week, Pune, Nagpur and other districts next week and finally in the entire Maharashtra during the final stage.