Easier access to foreign liquor likely
STATE EXCISE Department will create a licence for imported foreign liquor from next financial year. The Excise Commissionerate has sent a proposal to the State Government with an appeal to amend Foreign Liquor Rules-1996 for creation of the new licence.
STATE EXCISE Department will create a licence for imported foreign liquor from next financial year. The Excise Commissionerate has sent a proposal to the State Government with an appeal to amend Foreign Liquor Rules-1996 for creation of the new licence.
This will allow easy availability of imported foreign liquor in the State without legal hassles, and prevent penal action.
The Department has sought amendment in the Rules after German and French wine manufacturers sought permission to open their mother depot in the City to operate as stockists and forwarding agent of their product for whole of the State.
Two foreign companies have applied for FL 10-A licence at the Commissionerate in Gwalior. The 1996 Rules have no provision for granting permit to overseas wine firms to open depots here and, therefore, a requisition has been made to relax the ruling. An Indian wine company, Champagne Indage, with a depot at Indore is currently operating in the State.
German company Henkel & Sohnlein Sektkelleieien KG and French firm Messers Michel Laroche have expressed willingness to set up mother depot here. Their applications, forwarded to Bhopal, are awaiting clearance for past two months.
“The creation of imported foreign liquor licence will be part of the excise policy next (financial) year,” State Excise Commissioner T Dharma Rao told Hindustan times over phone from Gwalior.
He, however, denied that the new licence would be introduced to boost excise revenue. “It will not make much difference revenue-wise, but it will be convenient for people who will have access to imported liquor anywhere in the State,” he said.
The imported foreign liquor, popular among affluent gastronomes, makes way into homes through relatives and friends who bring it as precious overseas gifts. On most occasions, the imported bottled liquors are brought hidden in clothes from sojourns abroad.
