New Delhi: Delhi returned to the old excise policy regime on Thursday with the opening of government-run liquor vends in the city and exit of private players from retail business.
The Excise department claimed that four Delhi government undertakings have readied 300 liquor stores across the city. However, trade experts said around 240 of them would open on the first day after closure of private vends on Wednesday.
“So there will be more shops and the number will grow further in the coming days as 500 shops are planned to be opened by four Delhi government undertakings,” the official said.
The government undertakings Delhi Tourism And Transportation Development Corporation Limited, Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation, Department of Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited and Delhi Consumer’s Cooperative Wholesale Store Ltd – have been asked to open 700 liquor shops in the National Capital by the end of 2022, officials added in a media interaction.
The AAP govt on 30th July withdrew its new liquor policy after Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommended an inquiry into it by the Central Bureau of Investigation. Under the new policy, which was implemented from November 17, licenses of 849 liquor shops were issued to private firms through open bidding.