Bhubaneswar, Mar 28: Yesterday the state government introduced a new excise policy for the year 2017-18 to which also agreed to abide by the immediate implementation of the Supreme Court order which stated the removal all liquor shops beyond 500 metres from national highways. This new policy proposes to discourage unauthorised sale of liquor and crash down pouch liquor business in Odisha. The government also announced that draught beer will be sold so that young generation sways itself away from strong alcohol. The draught beer will be sold in six cities, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Sambalpur, Rourkela and Berhampur. Model premium liquor shops will come up at airport, shopping malls and three-star hotels for the first time. Hotels and clubs will be given permission to open additional bars. Also, the import fees on beer and the Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) have been increased to for more local production and employment. Further, the Excise Department has made it mandatory for the liquor outlets to give a cash memo to the customers when the latter purchases alcohol. Also all the liquor outlets will have to display an up-to-date rate charts of maximum retail prices of various liquors at their counters.
