TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Terming the Excise Department’s notice on levying Excise fees for serving liquor at private parties as bad, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday said he would direct the Excise Department to immediately roll back the decision.
Taking cognizance of a Herald report on Tuesday, the chief minister said there’s no rationale behind the decision to tax people for liquor consumed at private parties. “I will immediately issue appropriate directions to the Excise department to roll back the decision. The Excise Inspector, Salcete will be told to effect the necessary changes in the notice issued to the owners of halls and open air halls within the next two days,” Parrikar told Herald, adding that the Salcete Excise office had issued the notice to the owners based on an old government notification. “I did not issue any circular to the Excise office to levy charges for serving liquor. The Salcete office has issued the notice based on an old notification,” he clarified.
He, however, asserted that the Excise department will levy licence fees on liquor sold at events, including dances. “Those who sell liquor at dances and other events will have to pay the licence fees to the government. However, liquor served at private parties will be spared from the payment of excise fees,” Parrikar asserted.
The chief minister’s intervention comes against the backdrop of a storm brewing over the Excise department’s decision. Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva was amongst the MLAs from Salcete, who called on the chief minister to roll back the decision to bring parties under the Excise net. “The chief minister has assured to do the needful. People need not pay excise fees for serving liquor to guests,” Caitu said.
