Team Herald
PANJIM: Excise Department earned around Rs 16 lakh from the sale of liquor at various establishments which had obtained occasional licenses for the New Year celebrations across the State. The multi-genre music festival Time Out 72 paid the highest Rs 12 lakh for the three days of December 27, 28 and 29, 2017.
“In the last 2-3 days, over 50 occasional licences were issued. The fees were charged based on the footfalls and the fees at these venues. During this period, we generated around Rs 16 lakh,” Excise Commissioner Amit Satija told Herald.
The department’s revenue collection was based on a circular issued on December 27, 2017 that regular/seasonal/occasional licence holders organising events involving gathering of large crowd and also charging entry or regsitration fee or cover charges or tickets for attending the events, come under this domain.
“Any event which is temporary in nature and involves gathering of large number of people, due care must be taken before issue of any occasional licence by ensuring that the place has proper safety and security measures and it has valid permissions from all concerned authorities, before the licence is granted by the Excise Department. It is further directed that a proper check of all the events which are being organised or are planned to be organised in your jurisdiction, must be undertaken to ensure that there is no violation of the Goa Excise Duty Act 1964 and Rules by the organisers,” the Commissioner had stated in the circular to his officers.
Meanwhile, the Gujarat-firm’s maiden event at Vagator, that reportedly drew around 55,000 visitors, paid Rs 12 lakh to the department. According to the TimeOut Ticketing Information on their website, the early bird VIP season pass cost Rs 14,999 while Phase 1 GA Season pass was Rs 5,999 whereas the Regular and VIP day-passes varied from Rs 1,999 to Rs 6,999.
