The Haryana government has, therefore, decided that from April 1 next, the licensees of country liquor can import the best of booze from any distillery of the country and even sell 25 per cent more than the annual quota fixed at the time of auctioning the vends. At present, wholesellers can sell country liquor manufactured by Haryana distilleries. Each licensee will now have to pay excise duty in advance and will not be allowed to sell the bottle for higher than the minimum retail price fixed by the state government. This will help eliminate the cut-throat competition among licensees in the state. In addition, liquor would be comparatively cheaper and of better quality.

The new policy also restricts the serving of loose liquor by starred hotels and standardised clubs and restaurants. Henceforth, these would be chosen by the state excise commissioner and not by a district-level committee. However, tourist complexes would be allowed to serve liquor and beer.

Also, only wholesale licensees would be allowed to import whisky for sale by the licensees of India-Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL).

Those importing any kind of liquor from other states would be charged Rs 2.50 lakh for 10,000 cases (each containing 412 bottles), Rs 5 lakh for importing 10,000-25,000 cases and Rs 10 lakh for more than 25,000 cases.

However, these wholesellers would be required to notify the brands they wish to import. They can change the brand label without paying any fee but will have to inform the competent authority regarding the change. Retailers would be free to source beer, including draught beer directly from the breweries.

Not only that, beer would also be cheaper. The minimum retail sale price for IMFL would be Rs 100 per bottle (750 ml) and Rs 60 for country liquor. The minimum retail price of country liquor sold in pouches of 180 ml would be Rs 12 per pouch.

Those serving liquor in functions in domestic areas would be charged Rs 1,000 per day per function, and Rs 5,000 per day per function would be charged in non-domestic areas, like tented structures and farm houses.

Retailers selling liquor of any kind will have to pay Re 1 per bottle to the local gram panchayat/ municipal committee. No liquor sale will be allowed around Kurukshetra, Thanesar and Pehaw municipalities and within 150 metres of the main gates of religious or educational institutions and religious places.

The Commissioner of Excise and Prohibition has, meanwhile, invited applications from reputed distilleries to set up godowns in Haryana to supply liquor to wholesale and retail licensees during 2001-2002.

As this will be the first time that the Haryana Government will be allowing liquor manufactured outside the state to be sold, excise officials do not want to take chances. As a precautionary measure, the quality of the non-Haryana alcohol to be sold in Haryana will be fully tested.