Delhi imposes 70% special corona fee on liquor to boost revenue

In most areas including Burari, Mayur Vihar, Gandhi Vihar, Rohini and Janakpuri, a large number of people had lined up outside liquor outlets. Markets such as south Delhi's Malviya Nagar erupted with hundreds of people, not all of them in masks, thronging liquor shops.

New Delhi: Liquor in Delhi will cost more from Tuesday as the government has decided to impose a 70% 'special  corona Fee' on its sale in the national capital, according to news agency PTI quoting sources. 

The move will boost the government revenue, which has been hit hard due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown.

"70% 'special corona fee' has been imposed on the MRP of liquor bottles. The new rate will be applicable from Tuesday," said a senior official.

The idea was considered at a Cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, the sources said.

Citing revenue figures, he had said the Delhi government earned Rs 3,500 crore in April 2019, but only Rs 300 crore in April this year.

On the first day of rolling up shutters on Monday after a 40-day hiatus in operations due to the lockdown, many government-run liquor shops in the national capital had to be closed within a few hours as crowds of buyers did not follow social distancing norms.

The police had to resort to use of mild force to disperse the crowds that turned unruly.

According to an official, about 150 government-run liquor shops have been allowed to open from 9 am to 6.30 pm as per the latest lockdown relaxations allowed by the ministry of home affairs (MHA).

Neighbouring Haryana also is considering to impose a variable “COVID cess” on liquor to support the areas or institutions adversely hit by the pandemic, deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala had said on Sunday.