Uttar Pradesh to tweak policy for beer retailers

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government is planning to amend its excise policy to rule out confusion and doubts among beer retailers regarding revenue targets.

The department has put forth the agenda regarding fixing the monthly target for beer retailers, before the UP government. Under the changed regime, retailers operating beer shops will be expected to achieve 40 per cent of their targets during April-May-June, the peak demand period.

From April 1 this year, the excise department, for the first time, had fixed monthly revenue targets for the beer, country liquor, English wine and premium liquor vend owners. Out of the total 29,523 liquor shops in the state, 5,544 are into retail beer trade. In the policy, the department has mentioned that beer retailers must generate a 7 per cent, 10 per cent and 8 per cent revenue target in April, May and June.

However, the target was later hiked to 14 per cent by the department for April. Spokesperson of the UP liquor sellers welfare association Devesh Jaiswal said, "It has been three months since the policy was introduced and monthly target was provided. Suddenly, the target for April was increased by two times for April and for May and June too. To highlight the problems, beer retailers issued a memorandum for the UP government on April 29." Lucknow district excise officer S.K. Mishra said clarity was offered to beer retailers on multiple occasions.