Fall in number of life-time liquor permit seekers in Gurgaon after hike in fees
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Fall in number of life-time liquor permit seekers in Gurgaon after hike in fees

Gurgaon administration has been raking in the moolah after it hiked fees for permits to store liquor at home for personal and party use. Hike has translated to a fall in demand but resulted in an increase in revenues for the excise and taxation department.

Fall in number of life-time liquor permit seekers in Gurgaon after hike in fees A sample picture of liquor bottles on display in a bar counter

All those stocking up personal bars in their homes, have you got a license to do so? For an amount of Rs 20,000 you will get a lifetime permit to stock up to 108 bottles of liquor of various brands.

Not many Gurgaon residents knew that they needed the  L 50 license to store liquor bottles at home for personal consumption and use in parties.

This license is issued by the deputy excise and taxation commissioner(DETC). The license can also be applied for one year and the fees for the same is Rs 1,500.

The demand for lifetime liquor license (essentially for home mini bars) has decreased in the city after the excise department increased the license fees to Rs 20,000 last year. However, the revenue collected from lifetime liquor licenses has increased despite the fact that the number of applicants have dwindled.

"The idea behind the license is to encourage people to keep a stock at home and enjoy their drinks at home. They can also hold small private parties instead of  going out. One can be shelling out more in terms of taxes at restaurants. Besides rampant drinking in restaurant bars etc are often the cause of untoward incidents," said an official of the excise department. 

However, most residents are going for a one-day liquor license that enables them to hold small gatherings at a venue of their choice. After the excise department increased the one-day permit fee seven-fold in 2015—from the earlier Rs 1,500 per venue to Rs 10,000 per venue, there has been a significant drop (of 24% )in the number of one-day liquor licences issued.

Officials in the department said that they had sent the proposal for online application of permits as people often asked if they could apply online, instead of visiting the department office.