Vijayawada: A group of liquor traders has raised allegations of irregularities in the Retail Excise Tax (RET) fixation for 2024-25 under the new excise policy. The state government has established four RET slabs based on population: up to 10,000—Rs 50 lakh; above 10,000 and up to 50,000—Rs 55 lakh; above 50,000—Rs 65 lakh; and above five lakh—Rs 85 lakh. These amounts are to be paid by licensees upon the allotment of liquor shops.
Traders pointed out that in Kalyandurg municipality, which has a population of less than 50,000, the RET is set at Rs 55 lakh. In contrast, a rural mandal in Anantapur with a population exceeding 50,000 has an RET of Rs 65 lakh. They argued that the mandal should have been considered as the unit for RET fixation to provide some relief to those receiving liquor shop allotments.
Additionally, the traders expressed concern over the timeline for setting up liquor shops, which are scheduled to open on October 12, following a draw for allotments on October 11. They lamented that there would be little time to prepare, as they would likely receive shop allotment information late on the evening of October 11. With October 12 coinciding with the Dasara festival, banks will be closed, and workers at the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (APSBCL) will be unavailable. They worry about how to pay for liquor stocks and arrange for sales without the necessary manpower.
Meanwhile, some outsourcing employees at liquor retail outlets established by the previous administration have refused to report to work starting Tuesday. They are dissatisfied with the state government’s lack of clarity regarding their employment, as their contracts ended on September 30. The workers’ union has called for a statewide bandh on October 7 to press their demands for resolution from the government.
