Whisky, Rum, Brandy, Beer, Gin are now legal drinks !
MSBCL to look after sale in Wet Manipur
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 15 2023:
Legalising production, sale and consumption of alcohol in some selected places, the State Cabinet has given the nod for establishing a Manipur State Beverages Corporation Limited.
The nod to establish the Manipur State Beverages Corporation Limited (MSBCL) was given during a Cabinet meeting held at the Durbar Hall of the Chief Minister's Secretariat today afternoon.
While giving the green light to establish the MSBCL, the Cabinet today also approved the Manipur Excise (Amendment) Rules, 2023 .
The corporation (MSBCL) will look after the manufacture, production, possession, purchase, sale, consumption, import-export and transportation of beverages.
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The MSBCL will have the State Finance Minister as the Ex-Officio Chairman.
The Board of Directors of the corporation will include Chief Secretary, Secretary (Finance), Secretary (Home), Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), Secretary (Rural Development and Panchayati Raj), Secretary (Education) and Secretary (MAHUD) .
Sources said the MSBCL, initially, will look after the retail sale of beverages, and an open advertisement will be made to select bonded warehouses.
For now, this concerns only the Indian Made Foreign Liquor.
Notably, Manipur became a dry State after it enacted the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act 1991 .
After more than 30 years, the State Cabinet took a decision to lift prohibition from some parts of the State on September 28 last year.
The decision to lift prohibition from some places was again taken on December 4 recently.
Subsequently, the notice for withdrawal of the liquor prohibition from some places was published in the Manipur Gazette on December 6 .
The Gazette notification said the prohibition will be lifted from Greater Imphal, District Headquarters, tourist locations and registered hotels having no less than 20 rooms.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet meeting today reviewed and revised the excise duty and VAT (Value-added Tax) .
According to the prices of the IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor), the excise duty slab on 12 bottles will be around Rs 600 to Rs 6000 .
The VAT levied on the public will be increased to 35 percent from 20 percent.
VAT levied on military and other exempted categories will be increased from 12 percent to 20 percent.
30 percent of the revenue collected from sales of beverages plus 30 percent VAT revenue will be used in public health and welfare measures.
Standardisation and licensing for production and sale of the local liquor or the Distilled Indigenous Country (DIC) Liquor may take time and these will be handled by the MSCBL.
The minimum age for production, management of shops, sale and consumption will be 25 years.
Earlier, the minimum age was 18 years.
Sale and consumption of beverages within a 100 metres radius of educational institutions, hospitals and places of worship is banned.
Sale of beverages will not be allowed within 500 metres from National Highways.
However, this will not be applied in areas under Municipality.
Sources further informed that the Cabinet has also agreed to engage Ougri Consultant Private Limited, a private firm for consultation.
On a separate matter concerning the Panchayati Raj Institutions, the Cabinet decided that the currently defunct PRIs will be run by the Administrative Committee with members of the PRIs.
Notably, terms of the Autonomous District Councils, Imphal Municipal Corporation and Urban Local Bodies have ended and elections are due to be held.