NEW DELHI: Liquor traders in the national capital have written to the government requesting it to reinstate licences (L-7 and L-10) of private liquor vends that were issued under the old excise policy, as most of these vends were shut last year with the new policy coming in. Following a major controversy around the new policy, the government is set to get back to the old excise regime from September 1, under which so far only government-run vends have been planned to be set up.
The Delhi Liquor Traders Association wrote to the excise department on Friday, urging it to reinstate private liquor vends, which were issued under the old policy. “This is to request reinstatement of L-7and L-10 licences, which under the old policy accounted for 40 per cent of the total retail vends in the city and contributed 60 per cent of the overall revenue earned by the sale of liquor across Delhi to the exchequer,” the letter read.
It further added, “These licensees have been in business for the past 15-20 years and had a great partnership with the excise department.” L-7 and L-10 licences are meant for private liquor vends. While L-7 is issued to vends located on commercial roads, high streets, DDA-approved markets and complexes, L-10 is issued to those housed in shopping malls.
“There were a total of 275 such licensees under the old regime, out of which most had to quit business with the new policy coming into effect last year. These vends could not meet the infrastructure requirements, which were a pre-requisite for licenses to be issued under the new policy and hence went out of business,” said a trader.
Traders said that now most of the former L-7 and L-10 licensees have possession of their owned or leased shops and are capable of providing their services from September 1, if issued the required licence.
Under the new excise policy 2021-22, zonal licences were issued to private bidders for 849 vends grouped into 32 zones covering the national capital. The old excise regime had a total of 864 retail vends, of which 475 were run by the government undertakings while 389 were issued to private entities.