New booze policy: 1/3 licensees get renewal done, auction for rest

Jaipur: In a major shot in the arm for state’s excise department, one third of state’s liquor shops have got their licences renewed.

While 2,470 of 7,665 liquor shops have renewed licences, the remaining 5,195 shops will be auctioned from March 22. Notably, the excise department has fixed a two-year policy for allocation of liquor shops this year.

It has given option of getting the licences renewed for contractors already operating. Contractors across the state are opposing the new policy, 32.22% of liquor shops have already renewed licences. While Ajmer is at forefront of licence renewals, Jaipur has been a laggard.

Chetan Deora, Commissioner, Excise Department, said, “Renewal of licences of about 1/3rd of liquor shops is being considered as a big feat by department.

In the past, there was opposition from liquor licensees on many policy points. In such a situation, even when 50% of the shops were found eligible for renewal, a large number of people were not willing to renew