Liquor to Cost More in Odisha from April 1

Bhubaneswar: The new Excise Policy for 2023-24 for Odisha was announced on Thursday. With the increase in license and application fees for liquor manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers, the prices of liquor sold in Odisha are expected to increase from April 1 by five to ten percent.

The new Excise Policy also includes a marginal increase in excise duty for Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and minimum guarantee quota (MGQ). These will contribute to the increase in retail alcohol costs.

The new Excise policy has allowed the opening of beach shacks in Odisha to promote tourism. However, the license for these shacks will only be granted to the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) rather than to any private operator.

These shacks are to be opened near different water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and dams, apart from sea beaches. The OTDC will have to decide on the operators for the beach shacks through an appropriate method. The OTDC, as the licensee, will be responsible for ensuring compliance with all procedures.

The new policy will not grant licenses for new liquor off-shops during the year, but it will allow for the renewal of licenses for existing shops. Moreover, applications for opening on-shops in rural areas will also not be accepted.

In terms of fees, the application fee for new or renewal of ‘OFF shops’ has been increased from Rs 1.1 lakh to Rs 1.2 lakh. The MGQ and retailer fees have also been increased, while the annual composite label registration fee for FL OFF shops and FL ON shops for sale of all brands has been fixed at Rs 50,000, up from the previous amount of Rs 40,000.