Delhi Govt to Impose 70% 'Special Corona Fee' on Liquor from Today to Boost Revenue

New Delhi: Liquor in Delhi will cost more from Tuesday after the government decided to impose a 70% 'Special Corona Fee' on its sale in the national capital. The move will boost the government revenue hit hard due to the coronavirus-forced lockdown.

"A 70% 'Special Corona Fee' has been imposed on the MRP (maximum retail price) of liquor bottles. The new rate will be applicable from Tuesday," said the source.

In a late night notification, the Finance Department of the Delhi government said, "70% of the maximum retail price (will be levied) on all categories of liquor sold through retail licensees for consumption..."

For instance, a liquor bottle with a maximum retail price of Rs 1,000 earlier will now cost Rs 1,700 in the city.

The decision comes on the first day of easing of certain restrictions under the third phase of the coronavirus lockdown. Delhi has allowed 150 state-run liquor shops outside the coronavirus containment zones.

Many government-run liquor shops that opened after a gap of over 40 days on Monday had to be shut as people who gathered outside the outlets did not follow social distancing norms, and the police had to use mild force in some cases to disperse the unruly crowd.

The idea to impose such a cess was mooted at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday, said sources, adding that Excise Commissioner Ravi Dhawan has been directed to prepare a detailed report. The modalities are yet to be finalised, they added.

Neighbouring Haryana is also considering imposing a variable "COVID cess" on liquor to support the areas or institutions adversely hit by the pandemic, Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala had earlier said.

Kejriwal on Sunday had said the government's earnings and economy have been badly affected due to the lockdown. Citing revenue figures, he had said the Delhi government earned Rs 3,500 crore in April 2019, but only Rs 300 crore this April.

Delhi has been under lockdown since March 23.

After serpentine queues outside liquor vends on Monday, Kejriwal said the government will withdraw all lockdown relaxations from areas where people do not maintain social distancing.

Kejriwal said it is unfortunate that people were not maintaining the mandatory six feet or two-metre distance from one another at some shops and requested everyone to not take any risk.

He added that if there is no compliance of social distancing norms outside a shop, the government will seal it.

(With inputs from PTI)