The State government on Monday notified a new licence fee for liquor vends, distilleries and breweries by bringing down the annual fee hike by 50%. It also notified a five-year licence for liquor-selling establishments, up from the one-year licence now in vogue.

Earlier, the government had announced a new licence fee regime by doubling the fee, drawing the ire of stakeholders. The revision was after nine years. However, after several petitions and protests by liquor dealers, the government has reduced the hike by 50%.

“Though we asked for a total rollback on the hike in licence fee, it has been reduced by 50%. We feel that this is better than 100% hike. We find the extension of licence renewal period to five years convenient. However, we will continue to fight seeking implementation of our other demands,” said B. Govindraj Hegde, general secretary of the Federation of Wine Merchants Association, Karnataka.

He also said that they were expecting the government to provide instalment facility to the liquor vend owners to pay the licence fee.

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