The Council of Ministers of Haryana, Haryana approved the Excise Policy for the year 2022-23 in its meeting held on May 6, 2022 that will be applicable from 12 May 2022 to 111 May 2023. The current excise year is up to 11 May 2022. For the second consecutive year, there would be almost no default in payment of license fee which had never happened before. The Excise Revenue collections in Financial Year 2021-22 were Rs. 7938.8 crores as against Rs. 6791.98 crores in the Financial Year 2021-22, which is 17% higher. In 2022-23, the liquor vends shall be auctioned through e-tender of retail zones (comprising maximum 4 retail shops). The powers to approve brands/labels have not been changed from previous year and are delegated to the DETC. Besides, permission of operation in additional shifts to manufacturers would be granted on annual basis as against quarterly basis presently and Power to renew license and grant additional points in existing bars are delegated to the DETCs.
Apart from the aforesaid, it has been decided that approval of new labels/brands shall be done online. The cabinet meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal.
In a bid to encourage responsible drinking, low alcoholic beverages shall be promoted. Import Duty on wine slashed from Rs. 7 to Rs. 2 per bill. Besides, the Letter of Intent fee for establishing a wine manufactory has been slashed down from Rs. 15 lacs to Rs. 1 lacs. There would be no increase in the fee for bar licenses. Besides, hill station Morni has also been added to the list of places where bar licensees can be granted to promote tourism and adventure sport. Under new rules, the bars and clubs located anywhere in the State can now seek bar licenses, and Bars and retail vends can now have the flexibility to operate long after payment of the additional fee. It also has been decided that the basic quota of CL and IMFL shall be 1100 lac proof liter and 650 lac proof liter respectively, which is around 4% higher than last year.
There would be no fixed quota of country liquor allotted to distilleries so the licenses will have full freedom to choose brands of any distillery. There would be a marginal increase in the license fee of wholesale Licenses of country liquor and IMFL.In continuation to this, no change has been made in the minimum retail sale price of most brands of country liquor and IMFS except Metro liquor where there is a marginal increase. Besides, the sale of IMFL brands of Ex Distillery Issue Price (EDP) lesser than Rs. 1050 per case shall not be allowed as against Rs. 950 till date to ensure that quality improves.
The license fee of wholesale distillers, non-distillers, and breweries has been rationalized so that the wholesalers of brands having lesser sales volume will get their license at a reduced license fee.