The liquor sale business in Jharkhand has been handed back to private players less than two years after the Raghubar Das government took it over in August 2017.

From April 3, both Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and the country variant will be available at licensed shops.

Though the new system became officially effective from Monday, actual sale will begin from Wednesday as there are several formalities that need to be completed by Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation Ltd (JSBCL) and the new licensees.

There are 1,365 licensed liquor shops across the state.

JSBCL had sought Election Commission of India’s permission to effect this change and got the go-ahead on March 30.

State excise department’s assistant commissioner (Jamshedpur) Manoj Kumar said there were 81 licensed shops across the steel city.

“In Jamshedpur, 81 shops were auctioned and as many owners were issued license to sell liquor,” Kumar told The Telegraph.

He said JSBCL and the new licensees were currently sorting out the stock transfer issue.

“Our department is in the process of generating IDs for licence holders. Once the IDs are prepared, license holders will have to use them while making payment for the liquor stock from JSBCL, which will remain the wholesale supplier,” Kumar said.

Shop owners wait for permits. Picture by Prashant Mitra

He said the licences would be handed over to the shop owners by Monday evening.

Kumar said the hike in excise duty would lead to an increase in the price of liquor.

“Royal Stag, which was being sold at Rs 590 per bottle, will now be available at Rs 640 from the licensed shops,” Kumar said.

He said the customer might find the printed MRP on the bottle to be Rs 590, but he would have to pay the additional cost in accordance with an MRP list that the excise department would provide to all licensed shop for the convenience of both shopkeepers and buyers.

Kumar said the revised MRP would be printed on the liquor bottles within the next two months.

Capital Ranchi has 158 licensed shops.

One of the shop owners Rama Shankar Prasad said, “I have two shops in Ranchi — one at Hinoo and another at Hatia. Both, the shops will start selling booze from Wednesday.”

Prasad said liquor prices were set to head north following a hike of 15 per cent in excise duty. “It will take a few more days for liquor trade to get streamlined in the state capital,” he said.

In Dhanbad, 104 shops were provided licence.

On August 1, 2017, JSBCL had taken over the retail liquor business and started selling booze through government outlets.