Srinagar- Over eight months after approving the establishment of 51 new wine shops, six of them in Kashmir Valley, the Union Territory administration on Monday gave nod to a proposal for authorizing departmental stores to sell beer and other Ready to Drink (RTD) beverages in urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
The decision to allow departmental stores to sell beer and other RTDs was taken by the Administrative Council (AC) which met here under the chairmanship of the Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, an official spokesperson said Monday.
LG’s Advisor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar and Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta also attended the meeting.
The AC, the spokesperson said, approved incorporation of liberal provisions in Jammu and Kashmir Liquor License and Sale Rules, 1984 and Excise Policy, 2023-24 for grant of License JKEL-2A for retail sale of Beer and Ready to Drink (RTD) beverages in Departmental Stores in urban areas of UT.
“The Departmental Stores in a Commercial Complex, approved by the competent authority, fulfilling conditions like having total carpet area of minimum 1200 (One Thousand Two Hundred) Sq. Feet, annual turnover of minimum 5 Crores in Jammu and Srinagar Cities and 2 Crores for stores in other urban areas will be eligible under the scheme. Moreover, chain of Departmental Stores having annual turnover of more than Rs.10 Crores will be eligible to apply for separate licenses for each of its Store,” he said.
The Departmental store, he said, should have been inexistence for at least 12 months prior to the date of application.
“However, this condition shall not be applicable in case of a new/recently opened Departmental Store belonging to a chain of Departmental Stores having annual turnover of more than Rs. 10 Crore,” he added.
The spokesperson further said that the departmental stores should be selling a minimum of six of the category of items including Grocery Items; Frozen Foods; Confectionery/Bakery Items; Toiletries; Cosmetics; Household Goods; Utensils/kitchenware; Sports Items; Electrical/Electronic Appliances; Apparels; and Stationery. In addition, no application for the grant of License shall be considered for Departmental Stores functioning at Petrol Pumps as per the said decision.
Besides, the spokesperson said that the AC also approved permission to the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation for retail sale of Beer and Ready to Drink beverages in unserved/ underserved areas in consultation with the concerned Deputy Commissioner.
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