MP's Liquor Contractors Against Reopening Vends Amid Covid-19 Threat Despite Govt Order

Bhopal: Liquor contractors in Madhya Pradesh are not in favour of opening their outlets given the steep rise in coronavirus cases even though the state government has allowed sale in orange and green zones.

Several liquor contractors gathered in the state capital on Monday and met senior excise officials. They then held their own meeting later in the day where it was decided that outlets would not be opened.

The contractors are also upset that the orders for opening shops were issued even as they were in the midst of the meeting with excise officials.

Rahul Jaiswal, the spokesperson of MP Liquor Traders’ Association, said vends would remain closed. He pointed to three major concerns of traders: First, most distilleries and warehouses are in red zones, secondly, traders are apprehensive of the law and order situation which was seen in states like Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Maharashtra where liquor shops had to be closed down hours after opening as thousands lined up before them.

Third is the licence fee, said Jaiswal as he added that once shops are opened, traders would have to pay the fee even if sales don’t match the required target.

Sources also claim that traders are of the view that the state government should offer them waivers as they were shut for about 40 days. The licence fee was also hiked by 25% for this financial year and traders want excise duty to be levied in proportion to sales.

Though the excise department has threatened action if the shops aren’t opened, Jaiswal said liquor was not an essential commodity that had to be supplied despite high risk.

Speaking to News18, a trader based in Jabalpur said the state should learn from the disorder seen in various places after liquor vends were opened. “Revenue generation should not be done while putting lakhs of lives at risk.”

Minister for Home and Health Narottam Mishra on Tuesday said liquor traders are to follow state government orders and if traders have issues, they would be looked into. We are open to discussions, said Mishra.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Rajnish Agrawal asked about instances of huge crowds at liquor vends in several states and questioned how the police and administration would manage them as they are busy with combating coronavirus.

Sources in state government said liquor brings a chunk of revenue which is why the Shivraj government is eager to open shops amid cash crunch during the pandemic.

According to excise department figures, the MP government has incurred a loss up to Rs 1,000 crore as liquor vends were shut during lockdown.

There were reports from districts, including Harda, that hundreds had lined up before liquor shops since early morning expecting that shops will open on Tuesday.

As against the revenue collection of Rs 8,200 crore in 2018-19 from liquor sales, the MP government was hoping to earn Rs 13,000 crore during 2019-20. The department is yet to release actual revenue collection figures.