PANAJI
In a controversial move, the State government on Tuesday notified a tweak in the Goa Excise Duty Rules, 1964, by which licences for liquor shops in hitherto banned zones -- within 100-meter radius of schools, colleges and other educational institutions as well as religious worship sites -- will be permitted.
The change in the law, however, stipulates that the licences in these restricted zones will come at a cost -- double of what licensees pay for shops located in other non-restricted areas.
According to the notification, 100 per cent additional licence fees will be charged for shops in these restricted zones around schools and holy shrines. Annual licence renewal fees will also be similarly double.
“100 per cent additional licence fees shall be charged to the licences issued in relaxation of sub-rule (4) of rule 90 of the Goa Excise Duty Rules, 1964 and also for renewal of such licences,” Tuesday's notification said.
The notification confers the power to issue the licences in restricted zones to the Excise Commissioner. It will also require the Commissioner to take prior "government approval".
Rule 90 (4) in the original set of Excise Duty Rules, stipulates that no licence is to be granted if the premises in which the applicant proposes to set up the liquor shop is within a radius of 100 meters from an educational institution or a place of worship.
