The Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHAR), the apex body of the industry has strongly condemned the hike in the excise fees by 15 per cent despite of the well-known fact that the hospitality industry has been badly hit.
This development comes a day after the Maharashtra government has increased the liquor licence fee for 2022-23. In this regards, the state government has released a gazette notification signed by Excise Commissioner Kantilal Upam on Friday, January 28.
The state excise department has increased annual excise fees recovered from all bars by 15% and as much as by 70% for wine shops.
The fee hike ranges from INR 66,500 (against INR 57,750 in 2021-22) to INR 7,97,000 (against INR 6,93,000 in 2021-22) for restaurants and bars, depending on the population size.
The restaurant and bar industry, severely hit by the coronavirus-induced lockdown and the successive curbs especially the hotel and restaurant segment, owing to the frequent lockdowns imposed to curb the pandemic.
Condemning the hike, AHAR stated that this is a big blow to the industry especially when the association has requested the state government for 50 per cent waiver in FL-III license fees to support the beleaguered industry and in return, the administration is announcing such recessionary and debilitating steps which will further dent the industry.
“With the latest hike, the industry representations and meetings we make to the state government are turning into naught. We requested to waive off 50 per cent of the FL-III license fees but on to the contrary the Government hikes the excise fees. We have all the reasons to doubt the intention of the Government in supporting the industry which is the need of the hour and has to be extended by all means. How is the industry expected to survive such onslaughts which is killing the industry that generates maximum employment opportunities and also revenue for the Government?” Shivanand Shetty, President, AHAR.
Moreover, the restaurant industry has written to the Maharashtra government, seeking immediate rollback of the 15 per cent increase in excise license fee for the financial year 2022-23.
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