Srinagar (The Hawk): Jammu and Kashmir's authorities have approved the sale of beer in department stores as part of their liberalised policy for the licencing and sale of alcoholic beverages.
The proposal allowing department stores to sell beer and other Ready to Drink (RTD) beverages in urban areas was approved at a meeting of the Administrative Council (AC) presided over by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
The grant of License JKEL-2A for the retail sale of Beer and Ready to Drink (RTD) beverages in department stores in urban areas of Utah was approved by the Administrative Council on Tuesday, according to a statement released by the government.
According to the statement, department stores in commercial complexes that have been approved by the appropriate authority and that meet certain requirements, such as having a total carpet area of at least 1200 square feet and an annual turnover of at least Rs 5 crores for stores in Jammu and Srinagar cities and Rs 2 crores for stores in other urban areas, will be eligible for the programme. A chain of department stores will also be eligible to apply for separate licences for each of its stores if it has an annual turnover of more than Rs 10 crores.
"Before the application date, the department store must have been open for at least a year. However, a newly or recently opened department store that is a part of a chain of department stores and has an annual turnover of more than Rs 10 crores shall not be subject to this condition."
"Additionally, department stores should carry at least six of the following categories of products: groceries, frozen foods, confections/bakery, toiletries, cosmetics, household goods, utensils/kitchenware, sports items, electrical/electronic appliances, clothing, and stationery. Additionally, in accordance with the aforementioned decision, department stores operating at gas stations are not eligible for consideration when applying for a licence "said the official statement.
In consultation with the relevant Deputy Commissioners, the council also gave the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation permission to sell beer and other ready-to-drink beverages at retail in unserviced or underserved areas.
(Inputs from Agencies)