Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 15: A delegation of Jammu Wine Traders Association (JWTA) today met Excise Commissioner Rahul Sharma and submitted a memorandum of demands and suggestions while expressing reservations over Government’s proposal of e-auctioning of retail liquor licenses.
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The delegation which was led by Charanjeet Singh (JWTA spokesperson) later also met J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina and apprised him of their concerns regarding the draft of new Excise Policy 2021-22.
In the memorandum submitted to Excise Commissioner, the delegation members expressed reservations over the proposal to allot liquor vends through the e-auction process and feared that the liquor traders may lose their livelihood under the new regime.
“We reject this policy, which is meant for rich persons alone. None of us can afford to compete in the e-auction as we are small traders who earn their livelihood from this business for decades,” said Charanjeet Singh, while talking to media persons after meeting with Excise Commissioner.
Claiming that the present licensees are small traders who earn their livelihood from this business and their income is just to bear their day today expenses, the JWTA spokesperson said: “The rich people can bid a huge amount of money, which is required to run this business as per new draft policy, thus snatching livelihood from small traders and creating a liquor mafia.”
He informed that 30,000 families are directly or indirectly involved in earning their livelihood from this business and most of the present licensees are widows, senior citizens and unemployed youth who have no other source of income.
The delegation members suggested the Excise Commissioner that the Government can issue new licenses in un-served and underserved areas without snatching the livelihood of the existing licensees.
Later, the delegation also called on J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina at party headquarters, Trikuta Nagar, Jammu and apprised him of the concerns of existing liquor licensees.
Stating that the liquor traders are working as revenue collecting agents of the Government and fully abide by the rules and regulations, the delegation members appealed the BJP president to raise their concerns with central leadership as well as J&K LG Manoj Sinha for appropriate redressal.
Raina gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured that he will project their demands at appropriate forum for early solution.
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