Liquor prices in Gurugram to go up by over 10% from June 12

The price of imported foreign liquor (IFL) and India made foreign liquor (IMFL) is likely to increase by 10-15% in Gurugram from June 12 as the excise duty on the sale of liquor has been increased as part of Haryana’s new excise policy announced on Tuesday.

The new rules, which will come into effect from June 12, aim to counter Delhi’s excise policy which was released in November. The price of liquor will be less as compared to Delhi, said officials as Haryana no longer as a maximum retail price on liquor. It only has a “minimum” retail price on liquor, meaning liquor vends can sell at any price --above the minimum retail price -- without having to give discounts.

With the increase in excise duty on liquor, the price will rise to ₹5 per proof litre of beer having an alcoholic content of up to 5.25%, as well as IFL and IMFL, said officials.

Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala, who also holds the portfolios of excise and taxation, said since there is no maximum retail price on liquor in Haryana, they can sell at any price without having to give discounts, and still offer customers better deals than Delhi.

“Liquor shops will display their prices and will compete with Delhi and duty-free shops. Earlier, foreign liquor was cheaper in Haryana and people used to get their stock from here. Now footfall will increase in Gurugram,” he said.

The major change in the policy is for IFL, said excise officials. The government has fixed the minimum retail price (MRP) on foreign brands, a first in the state. “The landing cost of the liquor will have to be declared before the excise department while issuing labels. This is the first time that the government has decided on MRP and it has been done to ensure healthy competitions between liquor shops,” said Chautala.

To promote low alcohol beverages such as mild beer and breezers, the excise duty has been reduced on ready-to-drink beverages and beer under mild and super mild categories. In addition, the licence fee for the pub category (L10E) -- consumption of only beer and wine -- has been further reduced.

Ashok Kumar, manager of a liquor vend on Golf Course Road, said they will have to display the price list of liquor brands outside the shop to ensure transparency. “The minimum price has been fixed and we can sell above that as there is no cap on it. We will ensure that the prices are cheaper than Delhi so that we attract buyers even from the national capital,” he said.

The timings of liquor vends remain unchanged (from 8am to midnight), said officials. The policy will also reduce liquor vends from 320 to 310 across the city, and drinking places adjacent to liquor vends, called “ahatas”, will be doubled.

Vendors said the price of imported scotch is likely to go up by ₹200-350 on a one litre bottle, and that of IMFL whisky by ₹100-150 per litre. Even beer will become expensive -- a case of 12 will now cost ₹120 more.

In the new policy, the size of retail liquor sale zones has also been reduced from four to two to allow more participants to apply for liquor shop licences through e-tendering. The policy has also increased the basic quota for domestic liquor, foreign liquor made in India and imported foreign liquor (BIO). Along with this, excise duty on domestic liquor and IMFL has also been marginally increased.

Officials said to prevent drunken behaviour in public, CCTV cameras will be installed outside ahatas.