PANAJI: In a major tweak to excise laws, Goa govt will allow new bars and liquor stores to operate within 100m of educational or religious institutes, but it will cost twice as much. Although the relaxation still doesn’t give the excise department a free hand to issue licences in these areas – which were earlier excluded – the measure has surprised many.Apart from the applicant having to pay twice the licence fee, the excise commissioner will have to get govt approval before allowing such an application.
An official said the move was aimed at shoring up the state’s coffers. To meet its expenditure needs, the govt has been hiking an assortment of fees. “100% additional licence fees shall be charged to the licences issued in relaxation of sub-rule (4) of rule 90 of the Goa excise duty rules, 1964, and also for the renewal,” states a notification.