Bathinda, March 29 The Excise and Taxation Department has extended the date of the allotment for the liquor vends of imported and country-made liquor in the district to tomorrow. Earlier, the allotment was to be held today. Since no application was received by the department for the auction, it was cancelled yesterday. The allotment will be held at 5 pm at Dawat Banquet Hall near the multipurpose sports stadium in the city. The department has also extended the date of submitting the application for the liquor vends to tomorrow till 4 pm. With the new policy of the Excise Department coming into effect from April 1 for 2017-18, the department is set to lose Rs 36 crore revenue in the district as 51 liquor vends will be closed from the beginning of the next month. This year, the liquor vends will be allotted through the lottery system. Most of the liquor vends, which will be closed are on highways. The decision has been taken after the Supreme Court order banned the opening of liquor vends on the highways. The number of liquor vends in the district will come down to 462 from 513. Even the quota of beer and liquor has also been reduced for 2017-18 to 78,74,729 proof litre against the 93,08,728 proof litre in 2016-17. The Excise Department has divided 462 liquor vends in seven zones. The reason behind no application been received by the department is said to be that the liquor contractors have pooled and are trying to built pressure on the state government to bring down prices.

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