Chandigarh, March 23 (PTI): Haryana Excise and Taxation Minister Abhimanyu today said the government had completed the auctioning of 90 per cent liquor vends in the state.
The state is expected to achieve 11 to 12 per cent revenue growth from the auction of vends, an official release quoting the minister said here.
The department’s revenue collection has increased from Rs 27 crore last year to Rs 62.50 crore this year. The reserve price was Rs 50 crore this year, Abhimanyu said.
The minister attributed the growth in revenue to the department’s e-tendering system.
The Haryana Excise and Taxation Department has made all its services, including issuing of permits, online. The new experiments in the system have yielded encouraging results, Abhimanyu said.
For the first time, the government has decided to invite bids for wholesale licenses for Imported Foreign Liquor to increase revenue, he said.
On a question on banning liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways, Abhimanyu said Haryana is a responsible state and the government had not done anything against the Supreme Court’s directives.
“The state government has been complying with the apex court’s directives and has still managed to generate more revenue,” he said.
Regarding the Goods and Services Tax (GST), he said it would be implemented from July 1 in the state.
The GST Council would hold three to four meetings before July and a decision would soon be taken on rate fitments, Abimanyu said.
The registration of dealers is in an advance stage and a programme has been prepared for imparting training to stakeholders over the next three months, he said.
The minister also alleged that the INLD (the state’s main Opposition party) did not do anything in the Sutlej-Yamuna-Link (SYL) canal issue when it was in power.
The all party delegation will meet Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on March 24 to discuss the issue, he said.
Abhimanyu asked the INLD not to politicise it and accompany them to meet the Union minister for the benefit of the state.
Replying to another question, he said if the Chandigarh Airport was named after martyr Shaheed Bhagat Singh, it would be a matter of pride for the entire country and it would also inspire the youth.
On the Jat agitation in the state, the minister said there was “no confusion and the matter has been sorted out between the Haryana government and the community’s leaders”.
The demands of the Jat leaders would be met in a justified manner, he assured.
A village development scheme, with an outlay of Rs 5,000 crore, has been named after Sir Chottu Ram. Under it all basic amenities would be provided, the minister said.
Similarly, another scheme has been named after former Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Mangal Sein for the development of urban areas, he said.
