Decision on issuing liquor licences will be taken with stakeholders: Govt

Srinagar: Government on Sunday said that its Finance department has not taken any policy decision regarding issuance of fresh liquor licences in unserved areas and that any decision will be taken with the participation of the stakeholders and following “due process”.
“Finance department has NOT taken any policy decision regarding issuance of fresh liquor licences in unserved areas. NO list of unserved areas has either been considered or approved. No decision will be taken without participation of stakeholders and due process,” government spokesman Rohit Kansal said in a tweet.
Earlier, the Finance Department urged people not to be misled by any half- baked reports in this regard.
The government response followed reports that the excise department, after a survey, identified 183 new locations, 116 in Jammu and 67 in the Kashmir valley for sale of liquor. The department has sought approval for e-auction of sale points from the finance department. A government order in this regard reads, “as per the survey… a total list of 183 locations including 116 in Jammu and 67 in the zones of Kashmir is enclosed.”
At present, J&K has 224 wine shops with 220 in Jammu and four in Kashmir. The four shops in Kashmir are running from high security zone areas.
As per the documents, the excise department’s survey has identified spots and places in south Kashmir’s all four districts—Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag. The survey also includes spots for sale points in Srinagar, Baramulla, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Budgam.