Booze prices to soar again in UT

PUDUCHERRY: The implementation of excise draft rules, notified by the government, may lead to a further increase of liquor prices in Puducherry, considered to be tippler’s paradise. It is likely to go  by 5 to 10  per cent, narrowing down the cost of liquor between Puducherry and Tamil Nadu to 10 per cent, said DP Ramamurthy, president of Pondicherry liquor merchant’s association, on Tuesday.  The draft rules propose to increase  licence  fee on IMFL and beer, additional licence fee for retail counter run by  wholesale trader,   introduction of bottling fee, warehouse licence fee, enhance label registration fee, renewal fee for label, export fee,  franchisee fee and licence fee of distilleries and breweries, to garner revenue.Already the price of IMFL and beer had gone up by 25 per cent after the government revised the excise duty and additional excise duty on January 2, said Ramamurthy.  As per the cost card  (declared price) submitted by the liquor traders and distilleries and approved by the excise department,there has been an average increase of 25 per cent in the price, at which the IMFL and beer products were being sold, over the last few days days. Among the popular brands McDowells brandy (180 ml) which was priced at `47 was now `60,  McDowell’s whisky (180 ml) has gone up from  `60 to `75 while Kingfisher beer and Haywards 5000 priced at `53 was now `65.  For other companies  the price is yet to be known as they have not submitted  their cost cards to the excise department for approval.Most of the existing stocks have been exhausted. The excise department which has stopped issuing permits since the notification, will continue to do so only after the cost cards have been submitted and approved.Meanwhile the draft rules, notified by the department of revenue and disaster  management  for amendment of Puducherry excise rules on Jan 2,  calling for suggestions and objections  within a period of 10 days has expired. After the government resume functioning on Wednesday, it is likely that the objections and suggestion would be examined and a decision taken.