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The state government has constituted a high level committee headed by the excise secretary S P Thakur to look into the complaints of beer suppliers and manufacturers who have projected a huge loss on account of the newly finalised Excise policy 2015-16.
The other members of the committee include additional secretary (finance), excise commissioner and transport commissioner. Beer manufacturers in their memorandum have projected a loss of about Rs 100 crore while IMFL (India Made Foreign Liquor) manufacturers have also made huge loss projections on the implementation of the new policy. In total, liquor manufacturers have submitted eight memorandums. The committee will look into the veracity of claims of the liquor manufacturers and will submit a report in two to three days.
As per the excise policy, the new offer price of IMFL should be reduced by 10 per cent of the current value and the offer prices of beer is to be slashed by 20 per cent. The policy states that the offer price deduction should not be increased for the financial year or till the next price fixation committee meeting.
Opposing the reduction in offer prices, key IMFL and beer manufacturers have not signed agreements with the Odisha State Beverages Corporation (OSBC) Out of 11 beer manufacturers, only two have signed agreements with the OSBC. Major manufacturers, controlling 90 per cent of the beer market are yet to sign agreements, thereby creating an acute shortage of beer in the state.
