The restaurants and bars in Jharkhand have started indefinite strike in the state from Sunday in protest against the system that doubles the amount of money needed by establishments to annually renew their licence.
According to hotel owners associations, prior to revised rate, there had been three slabs to renew yearly licences – Rs 2 lakh for restaurants/bars situated in rural areas, Rs 5 lakh for hotel/bars across urban hubs and Rs 6 lakh for five-star hospitality hubs.
As per new tariff, the rates effective now are Rs 5 lakh in rural areas, Rs 10 lakh in urban and Rs 12 lakh in five-star establishments.The state has about 155 licensed bar and hotels.
Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce and Industry has condemned the new license fee structure, terming the same as state government’s autocracy.
Jharkhand Hotels and Bar Associations at its meeting decided that unless the state government ordered a rollback, owners of bar and restaurants would not reopen their establishments.