Federation Office Bearers meet with Shri Ranjit Deshmukh, Honourable Excise Commissioner Government

By Rons Bantwal
Bellevision Media Network

Mumbai: We are pleased to inform you that today, we had a fruitful meeting arranged by our Advisor Shri Kalathur Vishwanath J Shetty with Honorable Dy CM Finance and Excise Minister Shri Ajit Pawar and Excise Commissioner Shri Ranjit Deshmukh. During the discussion, we presented the key issues faced by permit room operators and proposed the following solutions:

 

1. Streamlined VAT Collection: We suggested that VAT on liquor be collected directly from distilleries and breweries instead of permit rooms. This will ensure immediate revenue realization for the State Government without delays.

 

2. Halt Annual FL-IIl License Fee Increases: The systematic yearly increase in FL-IIl license fees has placed an undue burden on permit room operators. We requested a review of this policy, especially considering the challenges posed by illicit liquor sales near wine shops and roadside dhabas.

 

3. Abolition of Liquor Consumption Permits: The requirement for individual liquor consumption permits is outdated and not prevalent in the rest of the country. We urged the government to abolish this system in Maharashtra to align with national practices.

 

4. Integration of Restaurant and Permit Room Areas: The mandatory segregation of restaurant and permit room areas is unnecessary and not practiced elsewhere in India. Removing this requirement will streamline operations and enhance the customer experience.

 

5. Curbing Illegal Liquor Sales: The unchecked sale of illicit liquor at roadside dhabas and other unauthorized establishments is severely impacting the business of legitimate permit rooms. We requested strict enforcement measures to curb such activities across Maharashtra.

The meeting was represented by Virar Shankar B.Shetty ( President ),  Dayanand Shetty ( Vice-president),  Durghaprasad C Salian ( Gen-Secretary),  Bhaskar T.Shetty ( Joint-Secretary) Kalathur Vishwanath J Shetty ( Advisor Chairman), Suresh Yeyadi Hotelier,  Rajeev Jaiswal Nagpur president Hotel Association, Nitin MohodSecretary Nagpur Hotel Association, Naveen Bhavankar Treasurer

 

Both the Honorable Minister and the Excise Commissioner patiently heard our concerns and assured their cooperation in resolving these issues at the earliest. We request all member associations to await the official announcement from the State Government.