Haryana Cabinet approves new Excise Policy

Haryana Cabinet on Monday approved the new Excise Policy in the cabinet meeting held in Chandigarh today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.

It has been provided in this policy that no liquor shop or theka should be directly visible from the National Highway or State Highway. Apart from this, the liquor shops opened at a reasonable distance from the main roads will not be allowed to put up any kind of advertisement or signboard. In case of violation, a fine of Rs 1 lakh will be imposed for the first time, Rs 2 lakh for the second time and Rs 3 lakh for the third time, after which the license of the liquor shop will be cancelled.

The government has now increased the distance of liquor shops from bus stands, school, college, religious



places etc. to 150 meters, which was earlier 75 meters. There has been no change in the number of liquor shops in the Excise Policy, as before, 2400 shops will be allotted in 1200 zones.

This policy also provides that no liquor shop will be opened in a village with a population of less than 500, due to which 152 liquor shops will be closed in more than 700 villages. In the new policy, to open outlets for consuming liquor ( AHATAS), 4 percent of the license fee will have to be paid in Gurugram, 3 percent of the license fee in Faridabad, Sonipat, Panchkula and 1 percent of the license fee in the rest of the districts. In the new policy, it has been made mandatory to have a 1000 square meter area for the outlets for consuming liquor.