Bar, restaurant owners to meet CM on proposed liquor tax

MARGAO: The All Goa Bar and Restaurant Owners Association at its core committee meeting on Monday has decided to call on the Chief Minister to explain how they will be forced to close their business if the taxes on liquor as proposed in the budget are implemented from April 1.

Briefing media persons, Association president Michael Carrasio said, they will have no choice but to transfer the hike on their customers and the tourists will find it uncomfortable as good quality alcohol will be cheaper in Delhi than Goa.

“Any person coming from Delhi will purchase the alcohol there and sit in his hotel room and consume the same without contributing anything to the trade in Goa,” he said adding that the hike in taxes will also kill tourism in Goa, which is already reeling under the closure of mining sector and drop in tourist arrivals.

He said the government has proposed a flat increase in price of alcohol by around 30 per cent besides changing the licence fee that will now be charged as per the area used which he said will result in nearly 300 per cent increase in consuming alcohol.

Explaining the steep increase, he said they too have to pay for their staff besides paying for nearly 14 other licenses required before getting the Excise licence and added that the government would do well instead of implementing the rules and regulations.

“Illegal alcohol trade is going on in the open and the government would earn more money by stopping this illegal trade,” he said and added that alcohol is sold by hawkers and even by fast-food operators without paying the government any tax.

Michael said the wholesale vendors sell alcohol to tourists, who just dump the empty bottles anywhere and everywhere after consumption. “The government would do well to ask the wholesalers to collect a deposit which will be returned when the empty bottle is returned,” he said.

Lamenting that the authorities did not consult them while preparing the budget, he said some departments do consult the stakeholders and the government will realise its mistake when GST and VAT will drop due to reduced sale of alcohol due to the high price.

“We therefore wish to discuss the matter with the Chief Minister and explain to him how the proposed tax structure will kill our business,” he said.