Liquor will be sold only through govt shops: Dy CM Sisodia as AAP withdraws excise policy
New Delhi, July 30: The Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government has decided to withdraw its new excise policy, directing liquor to be sold only through government-run shops from August 1, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced on Saturday.
The Delhi Deputy CM claimed that his party's government brought in a new excise policy to curb graft but central agencies were used to threaten shopkeepers as well as state officials.
Targeting the BJP, Sisodia alleged that this was done to encourage the sale of illegal as well as spurious liquor. "We have decided to withdraw the new policy and ordered liquor be sold only through government-run shops. We have done this so that no one can sell illegal or spurious liquor in the capital. I have ordered the state chief secretary to ensure there is no corruption," Sisodia said during a media conference.
He further said that before 2021, liquor was sold in Delhi through government shops and alleged there was a lot of corruption. I also carried out some raids."
"Our government brought a new policy last year. Earlier, there used to be some private shops but they would be allotted to near and dear ones. We ended this system and brought a new policy. We carried out a transparent auction. We decided that like earlier there will be only 850 shops. The government used to earn a revenue of Rs 6000 crore every year but under the new policy, the revenue would have risen to Rs 9,500 crore," he added.
Also Read | Medical university V-C resigns after 'rude' treatment from health minister; staffers join in
The Delhi Minister, who is under fire from the BJP over allegations of irregularities in the excise policy implementation, alleged that central agencies were used to threaten liquor shopkeepers with ED and CBI. Many of the shopkeepers left the business and today there are only 468 shops functional, he added.
"Many more plan to leave the shops. They want to create a liquor shortage in Delhi and want to encourage illegal and spurious liquor trade," he said, adding that even Delhi government officials were scared of the ED and the CBI.
The excise policy was passed in CM Arvind Kejriwal-led Cabinet in the midst of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
Delhi government's excise policy has remained at the centre of a massive AAP-BJP political conflict. The BJP has been accusing the government of irregularities and corruption in its implementation, however, Sisodia claimed illegal liquor sale was prevalent in BJP-ruled Gujarat.
Also Read | Centre hikes financial aid for orphaned children of ex-servicemen; details inside
-PTC News
