Vijayawada: Liquor traders complain that they are not getting the assured 20 per cent trade margin on the issue price of liquor in the state.
“We are getting just 10 per cent of the trade margin, which is sufficient to pay the rental and to engage the sales staff,” they said.
The traders question why levy several taxes. The alliance government had opened the liquor trade to private parties and issued licence to 3,396 liquor retail outlets. However, of these, nearly 10 licensees failed to set up retail outlets so far.
A Bhimavaram-based liquor trader said, “Though the state government has issued a GO to give 20 per cent trade margin to us, it is reneging on it. This is causing us a lot of financial stress.”
“We have borrowed money to get the licence to sell liquor. As we don’t get even the assured margin of profit, it is increasingly becoming difficult to run the shop. We may stop lifting of liquor stocks from the depots by way of a protest,” he said.
Some liquor traders said they are facing trouble from the stakeholder departments to pay bribes even for petty offences. They cite a direction from the chief minister to slap a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the traders who violate the maximum retail price while selling liquor and also to impose a fine of Rs 5 lakh on those who supply liquor illegally to run the ‘belt shops’.
“Though the government is having a good intention to curb such offences, some are trying to take advantage and fleece the traders,” they said.
A Guntur-based liquor trader said, “Despite the series of talks on the issue of getting a 20 per cent trade margin, there is no relief. We plan to take legal recourse on this issue.”
Excise authorities say it is up to the state government to take a decision on the 20 per cent trade margin.
Meanwhile, a batch of writ petitions have been filed in the AP high court with regard to the measuring of air distance vis-a-vis the establishment of liquor retail outlets. Rule stipulates they maintain a 100-metre distance from religious and educational institutions.
As the court has given an interim relief, some liquor outlets are currently running. The final hearing is on December 20.
