Maharashtra is likely to reduce the number of dry days
The state government of Maharashtra is expected to meet liquor industry’s long-standing demand to reduce the number of dry days in the state of Maharashtra. Unnecessary dry days lead to revenue loss and also give an impetus to the illegal sales of alcoholic beverages.
The excise department constituted a committee to address concerns on dry days including various other issues raised by the liquor industry. The renewal of manufacturing licences, additional spirit quota, extension of closing time, removal of weekly holidays, permission for overtime and holiday working, extension of business hours for festivals, simplifying the process of transferring licences were some of the 70 issues discussed in the 17 page report of the excise department.
Committee stated that according to its current policy, there were nine statutory dry days. Besides these there are election dry days. along with those declared by the collector on the basis of law and order. And it said that many of the nine statutory dry days have become unnecessary. Such dry days are not applicable to star category hotels and clubs at present and some of them can be done way with.
Appointment of committee indicates that government is willing to bring consistency on dry days approach to address the concern of stakeholders. This step may bring in uniformity in dry days in
the Maharashtra state.
