Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and the Administrator, Chandigarh, Adviser to the Administrator and Secretary (E&T) U.T., Chandigarh after detailed deliberations, had approved the Excise Policy for the Policy Year 2022-23 (01.04.2022 to 31.03.2023). The new Excise Policy aimed at ushering in transparency and increasing the revenue of the State by use of technology.
The e-tendering was done under which all the stakeholders were given extensive training for use of digital signatures as well as software developed by NIC for this purpose. All the bidders submitted their bids online and no manual bids were accepted during the process.
In the first opening of e-tenders after operationalization of the new policy for the excise policy year 2022-23 today at Hotel Parkview, Sector 24, Chandigarh, the Excise & Taxation Department, received total 142 tenders/ bids electronically against 72 liquor vends/ licensing units having a reserve price of Rs. 344.70 crores.
Getting an overwhelming response, the Department collected a total revenue of Rs. 420.88 crores in the shape of licence fees, registering an increase of approximately 22.10% over the reserve price and registering an increase of approximately 16% over the last year bid amount (H1). The highest bid of Rs 12.78 crores has been received for vend code no. 93 at Village/Colony Dhanas against a reserve price of Rs. 10.39 crores. An analysis of the successful bidders revealed that no single entity got allotment of more than 10 vends.
After this phenomenal success, the Department is also geared up to implement other measures outlined in the policy approved by Hon’ble Governor of Punjab-cum-the Administrator and the Adviser, like granting all new licences, label approval and granting permits/ passes online. This would eliminate the need of any licensee to physically visit the office, thereby promoting transparency and ease of doing business. The allotment process for remaining vends will be initiated at the earliest.
