PANJIM: In a major relief to liquor outlets located in the sufficiently developed villages, the State government has directed the Excise Department to renew their licences, which were kept aside in view of the Supreme Court judgment in 2016.
The order came after considering the reports by the Town & Country Planning Department and Directorate of Municipal Administration vis-à-vis on the directions of the Supreme Court issued from time to time, to consider the villages to be categorised under sufficiently developed, partly developed and not sufficiently developed for the purpose of renewal of licence to the retail liquor outlets.
“The Commissioner shall proceed to renew the licenses for the retail sale outlets located within the village jurisdiction categorised under sufficiently developed, partly developed and not sufficiently developed as earlier they were not renewed, on account of directions from the Supreme Court in the judgment dated December 15, 2016 and later amended order dated of March 31, 2017 and February 23, 2018; provided other conditions for grant/renewal of licences are fully met and subject to the condition that there is no illegal sale of liquor or contravention to the provisions of Goa Excise Duty Act & Rules, 1964 read with the directions of the Supreme Court (in the highways matter) by the licencee concerned,” the order read, issued by Finance Secretary Daulat Hawaldar.
The government arrived at a decision to declare these areas as sufficiently developed considering that villages in the State have better water sanitation, transport and other infrastructural facilities compared to the towns of other states in the country.
