Every year, new financial year is difficult for liquor consumers, most of the liquor brands are missing from the market. People have to consume liquor as per the shopkeepers will. Why,this problem has not been solved as yet ? Why such a system could not be developed so far, why the wine consumers could not get the desired liquor brand in March and early April. During these days there is shortage of liquor , but this also a reality that during this period except for the big cities, mixing of country liquor with english liquor is done in a big way in other cities. Not only this, from April every year, the prices of liquor are also increased.
On the first day of the new financial year in Lucknow, Noida, Ghaziabad, Meerut, Jhansi, Azamgarh, Varanasi and Kanpur, many brands of liquor and beer were missing on the very first day from most of the stores. Due to this the situation in model shops and bar was like, that there was a ban on liquor. From 1st April , the prices of country liquor were not increased, but there was sinificant increase in the prices of general brand of English liquor and beer. Excise Department has set a target of about Rs 29 thousand crore as revenue in the new fiscal year. According to the excise department sources, the shortage of many brands will be overcome within a day or two.
Our correspondent Neeraj Mahere from Saharanpur, Noida told that the supply is not available in these districts as per the consumption. Liquor consumers and shopkeepers are facing problem due to diligence of the excise department. Sandeep Asthana, our Purvanchal reporter at Azamgarh, told that even in the districts of Purvanchal, liquor is not available as per consumption. The reason is that,at the end of the financial year the excise department is engaged in the red tapism and paper formalities, and the supply papers are not provided to the contractors on time.
On the other hand, shopkeepers already keep the stock of liquor in their warehouses to deal with this every year problem. A local shopkeeper told on condition of anonymity that consumption of liquor increases during the election time. Due to lack of supply, people engaged in illegal liquor trade try to absorb their illegal liquor in the market. This is also the best time to mix country liquor with English liquor. The demand remains so much that in order to fulfill it it is not possible to detect the adulteration of alcohol. Many times this spurious liquor causes incidents like Kushinagar and Saharanpur.
The excise department has renewed nearly 17,000 shops in the state and 7938 shops have been licensed through e-lottery. The fourth phase of lottery will be held on April 2 for the remaining retail shops. In U.P from April1 Sales started in liquor shops with many changes. Due to the Cow welfare cess, which has been implemented since last year, the direct impact of the additional tax on liquor producers companies has been on the wallet of the consumers.
Prices increased from 10 to 80 Rupees
The prices of the brand have increased, in some cases it is higher and in some it is minor . However, one or two brands have arrived at the shops, which have seen an increase of 10 to 85 rupees. Lucknow liquor association secretary general Kanhaiya Lal Maurya told that on Monday, retail sales were not as good as there was shortage of branded liquor in wholesale shops. Mc Dowells and 8PM were the only brands available in the shops . Apart from this, the third brand Blenders’ Pride was also available at some wholesale shops. One vendor said that there was an increase of 10 rupees in quarter and 40 rupees in bottle of 8PM and Mc dowells No.1 . Similarly, the bottle price of the Blenders Pride have gone up to Rs 880.