Chandigarh sells 96 liquor vends, exceeding revenue goals

Chandigarh's excise department achieved a major success by selling 96 out of 97 liquor vends in a recent auction. This event took place over a week before the new Excise Policy begins on April 1, 2025. The auction generated ₹ 606 crore, which is 36% higher than the reserve price. The department aims for a revised revenue target of ₹ 800 crore for this year. Last year was challenging for the excise department. It struggled with unsold vends and missed revenue targets. In 2024-25, twelve vends did not find buyers, resulting in a ₹ 200 crore loss on its revenue plan. In the previous year, the department collected only ₹ 600 crore, falling short of its goal. HPS Brar, the Excise Collector, attributed the auction's success to changes in the excise policy. These changes allow bars to buy liquor from retail vends and make stock transfers within the same entity easier. This year, more contractors participated in the auction, partly because Chandigarh opted for an auction format instead of a random lottery. Despite the success, some local contractors raised concerns. They claim that many vends went to a company from Madhya Pradesh. According to these contractors, one firm managed to acquire about 20 vends, which they allege violates the Excise Policy that limits firms to a maximum of 10 vends. They are calling for an investigation into the auction. Brar denied these accusations. He emphasized that the new Excise Policy aims to foster transparency and combat monopolies in the market. According to him, regulations are in place to ensure fair competition and increase government revenue.