Page 3 - Liquor Sale

Excise Commissioner empowered to declare dry days in Delhi, says official

A notification issued by the Finance department of Delhi government has empowered the Excise Commissioner to declare dry days for closure of liquor outlets in the city, officials said on Friday. The proposal of the Excise department on the declaration of dry days was earlier sent for approval of the chief minister, they said. No immediate reaction was available from the AAP government on the notification. Last month, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal approved a proposal of the Excise department for declaring Muharram, July 29, Independence Day, August 15, Janmashtami, September 7, and Eid-e-Milad on September 28, as dry days. However, the notification issued by the Finance department on July 28 stated that the Excise Commissioner with prior concurrence of the principal secretary (finance) can exercise the power of the government for the purpose. "In exercise of powers conferred by sub-section (1) of Section 8 of Delhi Excise Act, 2009 (10 of 2010), the Hon'ble Lt. Governor of Nationa

Pernod Ricard eyes premium spirit market in India with local brands

The second-largest distiller in the world has already produced an Indian single malt and may be expanding its portfolio in light of growing demand

Court declines to entertain Pernod appeal to renew liquor sale licence

India's federal financial crime agency has accused the company of illegally making profits by giving false information to Delhi

Delhi's retail liquor trade records sharp decline compared to Q1FY23

The retail liquor trade in Delhi has recorded a sharp decline as compared to the first quarter (April-June) in 2022, when the now-scrapped excise policy of the city government was in place, according to a report prepared by the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC). The new excise policy of the Delhi government was withdrawn in July 2022 after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation. The policy was finally wrapped up on August 31 last year. The old policy under which Delhi government corporations opened liquor vends in the city was rolled out on September 1, 2022. Despite all the disruptions related to the excise policy changes and non-availability of many brands, Delhi maintained a healthy annual growth rate of 36 per cent year on year, the CIABC report said. However, a closer analysis shows that much of this growth is attributed to the first quarter of 2022-23, when various trade schemes and .

Liquor sales volume grows 14% in FY23, premium segment over Rs 1k grows 48%

Sales of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) rose by 14 per cent in volume terms to 385 million cases in FY 2022-23 while premium products priced over Rs 1,000 per 750ml bottle grew by 48 per cent, according to industry body CIABC. Sales are almost 12 per cent higher than the pre-Covid levels of FY 2019-20, indicating that the impact of Covid has fully worn off, it said. The industry is expected to grow in the current fiscal by 8 per cent to end around 412-415 million cases (9 litres each), the report by the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC) stated. In FY23, whisky remained the largest segment with an expected sales volume of 243 million cases, contributing 63 per cent of sales of the total industry. Moreover, after many years of decline, Gin seems to have reversed the trend and is back in growth, added the report CIABC, which is the apex body of the Indian Alcoholic Beverage Industry. According to the report, the trend of premiumisation has continued in t

Undeterred by price hike, liquor sales at nearly 400 mn cases in FY23

Whisky continued to register the biggest numbers and accounted for around 75 per cent of overall spirits demand

New Delhi rejects renewal of Pernod's liquor sale licence, cites probes

The 12-page order also stated, "Pernod Ricard India Private Limited and its employees had active involvement in the said criminal conspiracy"

Liquor of Rs 14 cr sold in Noida ahead of Holi, highest since pandemic

Liquor worth around Rs 14 crore was sold across Noida and Greater Noida in the two days ahead of Holi, after subdued sales since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gautam Buddh Nagar Excise Department officials said on Friday. In the run-up to Holi last year, the revenue earned from liquor sales stood around Rs 11.5 crore, while liquor worth approximately Rs 9 crore was sold on December 30 and 31, they said. On March 6 and 7, around 4.20 lakh beer cans were sold in the district, while 1.35 lakh liquor bottles, including foreign liquor varieties, were also sold during the period, according to official data. Also, an estimated 10 lakh 250 ml pouches of 'Desi' (country-made) liquor were sold on the two days ahead of the festival, the data showed. Last year, the approximate sales of country liquor (250 ml pouch) stood at 6 lakh, foreign liquor at 75,000 bottles, and beer cans at 3 lakh, with total revenue reaching around Rs 11.5 crore, according to corresponding data. With the tot

Delhi govt invites applications for renewal of liquor licences for 2023-24

The Delhi government on Tuesday invited applications for the renewal of different kinds of liquor licences for 2023-24 as a new excise policy being firmed up is yet to be announced, officials said. According to an Excise Department circular, applications for the renewal of licence and permits can be submitted till the end of February. The applications will be renewed for 2023-24 after payment of required licence or permit fee, it said. "....all holders of licenses/permits of M&TP Branch in form of P-2, P-3, P-4, P-5, P-6, L-4, L-S, L-25, L-34, L-35, DD-9, DD-10, DD-11, DD-5 and AP are hereby requested to apply for renewal through Excise Supply Chain Information Management System (ESCIMS) and deposit license fee/documents for renewal for the year 2023-24 on or before February 28, 2023," said the circular. In case of any delay, the applications will be admitted before the expiry of the licences or permit, provided there are "good and sufficient" reasons for the delay and an ...

Illegal liquor: Consumption may be up, but deaths show the opposite trend

India has a higher per capita consumption of illegal liquor than most countries in the neighbourhood

Delhi to observe dry days from Friday to Sunday due to MCD polls

Delhi will observe dry days from Friday to Sunday during which the sale of alcohol will be prohibited due to the MCD elections, the city excise department has announced. The election of 250 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the national capital is on Sunday. The counting of votes will be done on December 7. The excise department has announced that December 7 will also be observed as a dry day. In a notification, Delhi Commissioner (Excise) Krishna Mohan Uppu on Wednesday said that in pursuance of the provisions of Rule 52 of Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, it is hereby ordered that December 2 to December 4 and December 7 will be observed as "Dry Days". Dry days are days when the government prohibits the sale of alcohol in shops, clubs, bars, etc. on a specific day "From 17:30 Hours of December 2, 2022 (Friday) to December 4, 2022, up to 17:30 Hours (Sunday), the above shall be observed as 'Dry Days' in addition to the Dry Days," the notification said. Also, "from 00:00 Hou

World's largest beer maker adds Budweiser Magnum whiskey to its India menu

India's love for darker spirits makes the world's largest beer maker enter the whiskey segment in the country

Arrested businessman made Rs 50 crore by violating Delhi excise policy: ED

Liquor businessman Sameer Mahandru, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy money laundering case, earned Rs 50 crore as "proceeds of crime" in less than a year by violating the provisions of the liquor scheme, the agency told a local court. Mahandru, the managing director of an alcoholic beverages manufacturing company called Indospirit, was taken into custody by the federal agency around 9 am on Wednesday and the court of special judge M K Nagpal later sent him to the Enforcement Directorate custody till October 6. He was questioned by the agency overnight at its headquarters in central Delhi, sources said. The agency claimed before the court that "proceeds of crime" in crores were generated and "major violations" were done by the accused involved in the case. The excise policy 2021-22 has now been scrapped after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a probe into its planning and implementation. "Though the prime object of the said poli

Confident that BJP won't oppose draft policy on wine sale: Maha minister

The Maharashtra government has received people's feedback on a draft policy allowing sale of wines in supermarkets and he was sure that the ruling ally BJP would not oppose it, excise minister Shambhuraj Desai said on Thursday. The previous MVA government had allowed wine sale in supermarkets but the BJP, then in opposition, had opposed it. "We had put the draft policy in the public domain to seek people's suggestions and objections. By July-end, we received suggestions and objections, however, due to the political developments I could not focus on it," Desai told reporters here. "Once I receive the details, I will further study it region-wise and check the opinions of people from rural as well as urban areas and then brief chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and then the draft will go to the cabinet," said Desai. He was confident that his colleagues in the BJP will not oppose the policy if it was in the interest of the state and benefited ...

Kerala likely to witness all-time high liquor sales this Onam: BevCo

According to the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (BevCo), the first few days of this Onam season have set the tone for record sales

Delhi Liquor vends get more stocks, see improved business with old policy

Liquor vends across the capital received more stock and witnessed improved business as customers made a beeline to the shops on Friday, day two of Delhi returning to the old excise policy regime. The capital returned to regime within a year on Thursday with the opening of nearly 350 government-run liquor vends and exit of private players from retail business. However, liquor lovers on Thursday had rued the absence of their favourite brands as well as discounts. On Friday, trucks loaded fresh stock were seen outside many liquor vends. Supply is being augmented by the government, Devender Kumar, a vend in-charge said, adding that since morning, two trucks have arrived and they were expecting more. "The situation will improve further in the coming days and we are expecting more customers," Kumar added. Several shop in-charges claimed that customers' arrival has increased but yet to reach its maximum strength. Some customers still rued the lack rebates that were being offered at pri

Delhi reverts to old excise policy as 300 govt-run liquor vends open

Delhi returned to the old excise policy regime on Thursday with the opening of government-run liquor vends in the city and exit of private players from retail business. The Excise department claimed that four Delhi government undertakings have readied 300 liquor stores across the city. However, trade experts said around 240 of them would open on the first day after closure of private vends on Wednesday. Those fond of liquor may also find many of their favourite brands missing from the shop shelves as just 130 IMFL (Indian-made foreign liquor) and 230 foreign brands have been registered so far by the Excise department. The return of old excise policy, which was in force before November 17, 2021, also means that discounts offered by private vends on liquor brands and schemes like one plus one free and one plus two free become a thing of the past for Delhi. Excise officials said teething troubles are expected to persist for some days but liquor supply and brand availability will impro

Delhi pvt liquor shops to close from tomorrow, 300 govt vends to take over

Private liquor shops will be a thing of the past in the capital as they will be replaced by over 300 Delhi government vends from Thursday owing to the switch over from the Excise Policy 2021-22 to the old regime, officials said on Wednesday. Nearly 250 private liquor vends, licensed under now-withdrawn Excise Policy 2021-22, are running currently in the city. Some of the private vends having stocks saw crowd outside as they offered schemes like buy one to get one free. The Excise department had already notified the private licensees that they will not be allowed in retail liquor sale beyond August 31. People thronged a vend near Welcome Metro station to avail the buy one get one free scheme. According to officials, the rebates and schemes offered earlier under Excise Policy 2021-22 will not be available as liquor stores will be opened by government undertakings from Thursday. The six shops at domestic terminal of IGI airport run by private operators will be shut on Thursday, hamp

300 liquor stores, 4 microbreweries: Host of changes for tipplers in Delhi

Delhi is set to return to the old liquor excise policy regime, which includes opening 300 new liquor shops, and four microbreweries in the city

4 microbreweries to start in Delhi from Sep; mobile app to give more info

Four microbreweries serving draught beer will start operations in Delhi from September first week while a mobile app has been developed to provide information on dry days, liquor brands and their availability, officials said Tuesday. The mAbkaridelhi mobile app will be available in Hindi and English and can be downloaded from Google Play Store from September. The iOS version will be made available shortly, officials said. It will provide a host of information, retail vends in a locality, their timings and also enable searching vends in alphabetical order. The app also has the option to submit feedback, they said. Delhi government agencies are slated to take over the retail liquor business in the city from September 1 following the withdrawal of the Excise Policy 2021-22 after Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its implementation. Earlier, two microbreweries operated in Delhi one in Connaught Place and another at a five-star hotel