Goa may lose Rs 7 cr due to liquor sale ban along highways

Panaji: The ban on sale of liquor along the highways is likely to cause a revenue loss of Rs 7 crore to the Goa government, the Assembly was informed today. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, in a written reply tabled in the House, said “the expected loss on non-collection towards renewal of licence fees is estimated at Rs 200 lakh, while (the loss) on VAT collected on retail sale of liquor for consumption is expected to be Rs 500 lakh.” At this stage, the revenue loss to individual licence holders and their support staff is not available, he said. The chief minister was responding to a question tabled by Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar (Congress), seeking details of the impact of the ban on sale of liquor on all national and state highways in the state. Parrikar said pursuant to the Supreme Court judgement of December 15, 2016, a total of 2,443 licences for retail sale of liquor have not been renewed. The Supreme Court had last year year banned liquor vends within 500 metres of national and state highways. However, the apex court had later modified its order, reducing the distance to 220 metres in areas having a population of up to 20,000. Replying to a supplementary question tabled by Kavlekar, the chief minister said, “No representations have been received requesting monetary support on account of non- renewal of excise licence.” He said the state government has issued instructions for granting three years time to the affected licensees to shift their premises, as also to dispose of the existing stock of liquor to whole-seller or any other operative licensee, within a stipulated time period. “Further, the government has initiated the process of filing a review petition before the Supreme Court seeking specific relief to Goa,” Parrikar added. (PTI)