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AP liquor shops to go digital
Andhra Pradesh liquor shops to go digital, The tech savvy AP government has decided to connect all the liquor shops in the state to the Excise department by introducing an integrated computer network soon.
- Wine shops to be linked to Excise Dept’s computer network
- For greater transparency in sale of liquor
- Shop owners have to install the system costing Rs 90,000
- Licences will be cancelled if they fail to fall in line
- Traders oppose the move, to meet Naidu
Hyderabad: The tech savvy AP government has decided to connect all the liquor shops in the state to the Excise department by introducing an integrated computer network soon.
This system according to senior officials of the excise department will bring in greater transparency in liquor trade and will ensure that it was sold at the maximum retail price (MRP) at all licenced outlets.
Top sources in the department told The Hans India that this would entail a onetime additional expenditure of about Rs 90,000 per retail outlet but it would be of immense help in ensuring that no illegal trade takes place. If any trader refuses to fall in line, his licence would be cancelled. He said the government had come up with this idea in the wake of the increasing number of cases of violation of MRP Act in the sale of liquor in Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema areas. The government had issued orders to all the outlets to install computers so that they could be linked to the integrated network, the source said.
The computer network would be connected to the district and state head offices of the Excise department. Under the new system, the top officials, including the Excise Commissioner, will be able to access to the information regarding the sale of liquor everyday through online.
The flow of liquor from the AP Beverages Company Limited (APBCL ) to the liquor outlets and the sales from the counters would be monitored closely under the new system. The officials said that the network would also help curb the sale of Non Duty Paid Liquor (NDPL) in the shops which caused huge revenue loss to the state every month. Liquor stocks available in the shops on day-to-day basis should be uploaded by the dealers.
To curb the MRP violation, the liquor outlets were mandated to give the receipts to the consumers and mention clearly the prices of liquor at the sale counters and the same should be uploaded on the network before the delivery of the liquor bottle. AP has a total number of 4300 wine shops. The officials said under the new system, the government was expecting to get Rs 500 crore additional revenue by curbing NDPL sale and reduce the MRP violation burden on consumers. As of now the state government is earning about Rs 9000 crore. The AP Wine dealers Association strongly opposed the government’s decision to introduce the computer system in the liquor sale without consulting the dealers. e Association President R Subba Rao said the dealers received communication from the department to pay Rs 90,000 for the installation of the network .
He said it was a huge burden for them as the trade margin had already reduced to 21 per cent from 25 per cent recently. The Association would take up the issue with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, he added.
