GUWAHATI: Consumption liquor, of course when there is no more lockdown because of COVID-19, in start category bars will become an extremely costly in Assam given the steep hike effected by the state government in the annual composite license fees.
Assam government has increased by minimum four times the annual rate of composite license fees of various Star category hotel-cum-restaurant-cum-bar with immediate effect.
The steep hike in composite license fees which has apparently reflected the government’s overzealous drive to mop up additional revenue to tide over the present financial crisis, is set to serve a body blow to the sector of hotel-cum-restaurant-cum-bar that has faced an unprecedented downturn because of the prevalent global COVID-19 pandemic.
The new rates of composite license fees as announced by the state government through an extraordinary gazette notification on May 9,2020 are as follows:
-Rate of composite license fee for hotel-cum-restaurant-cum-bar for consumption on the premises of 3 Star categories of hotels having upto 50 rooms has been hiked to Rs eight lakh (Rs 8,00,000) per annum from the existing rates of Rs 2 lakh per annum (urban areas) and RS 1.5 lakh per annum.
– For 3 Star category hotel-cum-restaurant-cum bar with more than 50 rooms, the composite license fee has been hiked to Rs nine lakh per annum.
– For 4 Star category hotel-cum-restaurant-cum bar having upto 50 rooms, the composite license fee has been hiked to Rs 10 lakh per annum.
– For 4 Star category hotel-cum-restaurant-cum bar having more than 50 rooms, the composite license fee has been hiked to Rs 12 lakh per annum.
— For 5 Star and above category hotel-cum-restaurant-cum-bar having upto 100 rooms, the composite license fee has been hiked to Rs 18 lakh per annum.
– For 5 Star and above category hotel-cum-restaurant-cum-bar having more than 100 rooms, the composite license fee has been hiked to Rs 20 lakh lakh per annum.
It may be mentioned that most of such star hotels-cum-restaurants-cum bars in Assam have been forced to stop operation as on date and send their employees on leave without pay because of COVID-19 pandemic and related restriction, unrelenting lockdown.
