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Goa govt adds fizz to the millennium party

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

Good news for all of you heading for Goa to ring in the new millennium - the celebrations are likely to cost you less, provided you are not a teetotaller.

The Goa government in a sweeping move today rationalised the excise duty structure in the state, bringing the rates of liquor brought in from other states on par with the brands manufactured locally. The change in duty structure will lead to a sharp fall in the prices of top brands of beer and Indian Manufacture Foreign Liquor.

"Let tourists drink more beer than hard liquor," said Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha, while announcing scrapping of additional pass fee on imported liquor.

The new duty structure comes into effect immediately.

With frequent changes in the governments in the state, this is the third time the excise duty structure has been modified in the last two years.

Dr Wilfred de Souza, who had formed a government with the opposition's support after splitting from the Congress last year, had hiked excise duty on imported liquor in order to promote local liquor industry.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which supported his government from outside, had criticised the policy alleging that the local liquor lobby was behind the move.

Luizinho Faleiro's newly elected Congress government, which Sardinha toppled last month, had rationalised the excise duty structure in October this year but imposed an additional pass fee of Rs 10 per litre for imported IMFL and per proof litre of imported beer and wine.

Sardinha today said the annual beer consumption had come down in the state from 20 lakh dozen cases to 14 lakh dozen cases in last two years.

The chief minister now expects the annual beer consumption to go up to at least 16 lakh dozen cases.

Only four beer brands have manufacturing plants located in Goa. However, these local brands will continue to have an edge over their competitors as most of them enjoy a sales tax holiday, while manufacturers located outside Goa pay a sales tax of 24 per cent.

Meanwhile, Sardinha also declared that all the bars and pubs would be allowed to remain open till 2 am between December 24 and January 6. The pubs, however, would be charged a fee of Rs 500 per day for this.

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