Relieve to the Liquor Shops in Kolkata

The excise department is set to grant permission to Bengal liquor shop owners to open their shops all days of the week. They have finally received freedom from one day per week forced shutdown. Until this order is formally issued, shops can only be opened 6 days per week. The one day which needs to remain closed can be of the owners choice unlike earlier when it was Thursday. 

The excise department informed that the rule was enforced after the retailers kept on seeking permission to be open on dry days especially in the festive season. This year Kali Puja and Diwali Puja was on Sunday and may owners were seeking permission to stay open on that day. Excise Department reported, “It was then felt that retailers should be granted the right to keep shops open throughout the week, provided employees’ rights are maintained. Revenue is certainly a factor. In 2018-’19, the directorate’s revenue receipt went up to Rs 10,590 crore from Rs 9,340 crore the previous year. We also want to keep people from consuming spurious liquor. On ‘dry’ days, many people tend to purchase liquor in black from illegal outlets. Much of this liquor is spurious.”

The shop owner welcomed the move but they are further planning to seek permission to stay open all days of the week except for the dry days like Independence Day, Republic Day and Gandhi Jayanti. However, confusion has still not resolved. “We have just heard that the excise directorate has planned something of this kind, but have received no notice”, said a retailer in central Kolkata.