Offices refuse to raise toast to Haryana liquor policy

Zero response to new rules allowing serving of alcohol

- KUNAL DOLEY

TWO MONTHS AFTER it was implemented, there have reportedly been no takers in the Millennium City for the Haryana government's ambitious new excise policy that allows big corporate offices to serve low alcohol content drinks such as beer, wine and ready-to-drink beverages within their premises.

A senior excise and taxation official of Gurugram, which is home to several MNCs and startups, told FE that no corporate house has so far come forward to even enquire, leave alone apply, for the L-10F licence.

To qualify for the licence, a corporate office must have a minimum of 5,000 employees and a covered area of at least 1 lakh square feet within a single premises, which can either be self-owned or leased. They must also have a cafeteria across 2,000 square feet to serve the low-alcohol beverages.

"The strict criteria leave only a few companies to be eligible for the licence," said the official, on condition of anonymity."It's a good policy and a positive step by the state government, but like with any other new policy, it will take time for the people to understand it properly," the official added.