WB govt to give licences for distilleries, bottling plants

The West Bengal government would grant licenses for setting up new distilleries and bottling plants in the state, Finance and Excise minister Amit Mitra said today.

This would lead to creation of jobs, Mitra said replying during Question Hour in the Assembly.

He said so far, there was restriction in supply of liquor bottles in the state.

An important input required for a distillery, ENA, was being manufactured by a single company in the state currently, he said, adding that distillers had to import the chemical compound from other states.

The minister said after the new government came to power in 2011, no new license for foreign 'On' and 'Off' shops were given and only seven licenses for country liquor shops were granted.