Liquor Welfare Association in UP writes to CM Yogi Adityanath, seeks opening of shops during lockdown

The Liquor Welfare Association (UP) stated that they are incurring a daily loss of over Rs 100 crore due to the closure of liquor shops in the state.

New Delhi: The Liquor Welfare Association in Uttar Pradesh has written to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and sought the opening of the liquor shops during the COVID-19-induced partial lockdown in the state.

The General Secretary of the Association, Kanhaiyalal Maurya, stated that they are incurring a daily loss of over Rs 100 crore due to the closure of liquor shops in the state. 

He wrote that the shops have been shut since the UP Panchayat elections.

Maurya also said that there is no mention of the closure of liquor shops in the government's order and that the license holders have also not received any order from the Excise Department.

"This has created confusion among liquor license holders," Maurya wrote in a letter to UP CM. 

He also told Yogi Adityanath that the shop owners are concerned about the fixed monthly quota and license fees. 

The Liquor Welfare Association in Uttar Pradesh has also sent a letter to the state's Excise Secretary and the Commissioner of Excise.

Earlier on May 4, the liquor prices in Uttar Pradesh were increased after the state government decided to impose a 'corona cess'.

As per IANS, the prices of liquor have been increased by Rs 10-40 per bottle.

"The cess of Rs 10 has been imposed on regular-premium category liquor, Rs 20 on the super premiere, Rs 30 on scotch and Rs 40 on liquor imported from abroad," the news agency reported.

The Yogi Adityanath-led government has extended the partial 'corona curfew' in the state till May 17 morning. 

Uttar Pradesh is one of the states which has been severely affected by the second wave of coronavirus in India. The state recorded 23,333 fresh COVID-19 cases on Sunday that pushed its total tally to 15,03,490 while 296 more fatalities took the death toll to 15,464.

(With inputs from agencies)