Realtors, financiers competing with existing players
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Hyderabad: Applications for setting up liquor shops in Telangana State will be issued from Monday. This time established players who have been running liquor shops for decades are seeing competition from realtors and private financiers.
With the government deciding to allot liquor licences through draw of lots old players are making all out efforts to retain their hold on the business by making their relatives and friends submit as many applications as possible hoping that one of them would click.
Due to the slowdown in the realty and finance business realtors and financiers are looking at liquor. They say liquor remains the only business which continues to flourish throughout the year.
The TS government has decided to grant liquor licences for two years against one year earlier. As per the schedule announced by the government the notification inviting applications for liquor shops would be issued on September 14 district-wise. The deadline is September 21. If more than one application is received for a liquor shop collectors will conduct draw of lots on September 23.
“Selected applicants will be issued provisional licence on September 26 and after verification, the final licence will be issued on September 28,” said excise commissioner R.V. Chandravadan. The new shops will open on October 1.
Though the government has doubled the non-refundable application fee from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 to ensure that only serious players apply for liqour shops many have filed multiple applications. With the government hiking the licence fee by 20 per cent and collecting a two-year fee only sound parties can remain in the fray.
Around Rs 2.16 crore has to be paid as licence fee in GHMC limits while the licence fee ranges from '78 lakh to '1.63 crore in other corporations, municipalities and nagar panchayats depending on population.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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