Karnataka proposes to hike beer prices again; Second increase in four months
Bengaluru: Just days after raising diesel tax, power tariff, and milk prices, the Karnataka government has now proposed a hike in beer prices—the second time in four months.
The state government, in a draft notification, has proposed to increase the Additional Excise Duty (AED) on beer by 10 percent and this could lead to an increase in beer prices by up to Rs 50 per bottle, Deccan Herald quoted its sources as saying.
It has also decided to do away with a fixed Rs 130 excise duty for lower-end beers and going forward, 205 percent AED will apply to all beer brands.
“Beer prices in most of our neighbouring states are higher than ours. Hence, there was some potential to increase the revenue by increasing the prices,” DH quoted an official as saying.
However, the official noted that the government is unlikely to raise beer prices again in the near future, given the recent back-to-back hikes.
While the exact price hike will vary by brand, sellers believe it could lead to a drop in sales. According to a brewery owner from North Bengaluru, sales have already declined significantly due to the previous price hike. While beer sales are typically high during the summer, this year has seen a noticeable drop.
The excise department issued the draft notification on Tuesday, giving citizens seven days to file their objections.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
