Such a lovely refreshing evening drink for 79 million Indians- Liquor, is in news these days for all bad reasons.
It is really perplexing and confusing, that a country where almost 79 million people consume this refreshing drink have little knowledge about the policy that governs its sale and manufacture, the attitude is ; . humey to peeney sey matlab hai !
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Having served in a liquor manufacturing company many years back , although for a short duration, I realized that due to our hypocrisy and double standards the rules pertaining to liquor trade are not only outdated but they out rightly encourage corruption, the state Govts have virtually turned a blind eye to this corruption in the guise of performing its social responsibility and to earn revenue.
It is therefore important to know the rules, so that we do not inadvertently become a part of this politics over liquor and also at the same time be able to raise voice to stop this corruption.
Let me explain this.
This is one product for which almost 25 licenses are needed to start a (liquor) manufacturing plant .
So obviously, when there are so many tables and hands through which your application has to pass, it is needless to emphasise the important role, money would play.
Two. Right from the plant/ factory/ distillery to the retailer it is the Govt which monopolizes the whole process. ( Its difficult to find one service that Govt is able to manage efficiently and effectively ; education - No, Health care - No, Railways -No, Law and order - No ). The excise department officials are posted in the Distillery / Plant , so that all the (liquor) bottles right from the assembly line are accounted for. So, even the Store in the factory is under the control of Excise department. Some may claim what’s wrong in it? Imagine what 3-4 Govt officials posted in the liquor distillery, would be doing the whole day , yes you guessed it right ; when we all go to bar to enjoy the drinks the excise department officials posted at the distillery might have to just go to their office to get sozzled up and for that , the owner of the factory would not mind obliging them by offering a car also. So, the Store ledger maintained in the factory is fudged/ manipulated, for instance ; instead of showing 5000 bottles manufactured, may be only 3000 bottles are taken on charge. What happens to the balance 2000 ? Please go further.
Three. The State Govts manage the ware houses where all liquor that is to be sold in the specific region is kept. The demand/ requisition for liquor mentioning brand and quantity is sent to the ware house by the retailer. The ware house is also controlled by a senior excise department official. there may be many ware houses in the region/ state, all manged by the Excise officials.
On receiving the demand, the Excise Commissioner or any District Excise Officer authorised in that behalf by the Excise Commissioner, managing the Ware house , intimates the licensee i.e the manufacturer who shall forthwith dispatch such quantity of liqour as may be required from the distillery and this will then be supplied to the retailer. The ware houses have their own specific area to cater.
So far so good, prima facie looks to be a good procedure. But as they say there is more to it than what meets the eye, the manufacturer by obliging the officials at the plant has already manipulated the distillery ledger and has 2000 bottles unaccounted for, which are not shown in the ledger( refer serial two above). So, he has created a separate avenue to escape the tax dragnet. This unaccounted liquor is sent straight to the retailer / shop and not via ware house. This shop as a matter of fact might be owned by the manufacturer himself.
Four. The Govt has not left any stone unturned to ensure that there is corruption every where. So even the retailers have to apply for license and the shops are allotted through a process of auction, which is also not fair due to issues like ; cartelization, monopolies etc of the retailers. Invariably one would find that the manufacturer himself would also be owning number of liquor shops in various towns. Now, its so simple a portion of liquor is supplied through ware houses and a portion comes straight from factories to the shop.
Everyone in this business is hand in glove ; the liquor traders, the manufacturers , the excise department officials and off course how can the politician and bureaucrats be not part of it.
As a result , liquor in India is sold at shops where you cannot spend more than a minute, there are very few decent bars in the town and if there are any, they are very expensive (so people carry their bottles to dhabas on the high ways) the liquor that is sold at the shops is expensive because of heavy taxes levied on it (In many states the Govt collects almost Rs 85 via taxes out of every Rs 100 spent by a buyer.
Why can’t the liquor be sold in malls/ shopping complexes, why cann’t wine be available on grocery shops, why the liquor be taxed so heavily? Why do we get poor quality liquor? Why are we forcing our countrymen to consume liquor which has high alcohol content? Why cann’t the liquor be purchased on line ?
There is no denying the fact that Liquor is harmful for health if taken in excessive quantities and we often find its adverse consequences on the individual’s health and also on their families, particularly in low income groups.
If the Govts are serious about the health and happiness of its citizens , they must either close down all liquor manufacturing facilities and retail shops or else remove these unnecessary barriers which encourage corruption and are making good quality liquor inordinately expensive and beyond the means of a common man.
So, not surprised, when Kejriwal tried easing up the norms and removing few barriers, obviously there has to be politics. The only mistake that he committed was that when the LG( Lt Governor) changed the policy at the last moment , he should have just called off its implementation.
It would be naive to believe that the Govts and its huge machinery would not be knowing all this, but then the question arises - why are n't they opening up, why are n't they removing these barriers ?
Its high time we realize that - Hur gate pey Chowkidar baathaney sey Security nahin acchi hoti hai, phir chowkidar key upar bhi chowkidar rakhna padta hai aur phir uske upar bhi and it goes on.