Chandigarh: Liquor prices likely to rise by 10 to 12 percent
The UT Administration will soon announce its excise policy for the next fiscal that is likely to see a hike of 10 to 12 percent. After examination of the policy of Punjab and Haryana, the Excise and Taxation Department, UT, has prepared the new excise policy. Sources said while the rates of liquor were likely to increase, these would still be lesser than those in the neighbouring states. Liquor prices were increased up to 10 per cent last year. Officials of the UT Excise and Taxation Department held a series of the meetings to finalise the excise policy after the Punjab Government announced its new excise policy recently. The UT Excise Department has no choice but to keep the rates lower than those prevailing in the neighbouring states to stop the smuggling of liquor from the city. The UT Administration had earned over Rs 200 crore from auction of liquor vends last year. It hopes to earn more revenue from the auction this year as the Supreme Court has lifted the ban on vends situated on the roads within the MC limits.
