Old liquor policy to resume in Delhi from August 1; know its impact on capital
Under the previous liquor policy, government and private agencies were allowed to operate liquor stores, and no alcohol discounts were offered.
FollowThe Delhi government has decided to withdraw its new liquor excise policy, stating that the old excise regime will resume on Monday, August 1. Under the previous liquor policy, government and private agencies were allowed to operate liquor stores in the capital, and no alcohol discounts were offered.
The new excise policy, which was implemented in November 2021, was rolled back by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is under fire from the Bharatiya Janata Party over allegations of irregularities in its implementation.
With the re-implementation of the old liquor policy in the national capital, four Delhi government agencies will now sell liquor alongside private operators. Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation (DSCSC), and Delhi Consumer's Cooperative Wholesale Store are among the four government agencies (DCCWS).
Know about the old liquor policy of Delhi:Â
1) Delhi had 864 liquor stores, 475 operated by the four government agencies and 389 by private operators.
2) Under this regime, Delhi observed 21 dry days, whereas, under the new regime, liquor stores were only closed for three days.
3) There was no minimum area requirement for opening a liquor store.
4) In Delhi's previous liquor regime, no discounts were offered.
Know what the Delhi government offered in its new policy:
1) On November 16, 2021, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) led the Delhi government implemented the new liquor policy. It altered how liquor was sold in the city by removing the government from the business and allowing private operators to run the stores. The city was divided into 32 zones under Delhi's new liquor policy, and firms were invited to bid on the zones.
2) The Delhi government allowed shops to offer discounts to retail customers for the first time and reduced the number of dry days from 21 to three. This policy also called for home delivery of liquor and lowered the drinking age from 25 to 21, but neither of these provisions was implemented.
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI investigation into the policy's formulation and implementation in a report by chief secretary Naresh Kumar. Kumar, along with the government of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has accused the government of irregularities and corruption in its implementation.
Saxena proposed a CBI investigation into the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, holding Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is in charge of the excise department, accountable.
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