Opening of E- Financial Bids for allotment of liquor vends for the period 2020-21

In the first opening of e-tenders after the operationalization of the new policy for the period 2020-21(01.07.2020 to 31.03.2021) at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, Chandigarh, the objectives sought to be realized in the policy have been achieved.

The Excise & Taxation Department, U.T., Chandigarh received a total of 157 tenders/ bids electronically against 78 liquor vends/ licensing units having a reserve price of Rs. 216.33 crores. Getting an overwhelming response, the Department and collected total revenue of Rs. 265.32 crores in the shape of license fees, registering an increase of approximately 22.65% over the reserve price and received Rs 5.49 crores in the shape of the participation fee. The highest bid of Rs 7.56 crores has been received for vend code no. 5 at Sector 9, Internal Market against a reserve price of Rs. 4.12 crores.  An analysis of the successful bidders revealed that no single entity got an allotment of more than 8 vends.

The opening of e-tenders/ financial bids held at Tagore Theatre, Sector 18, Chandigarh took place in the presence of Sh. Mandip Singh Brar, IAS, Excise & Taxation Commissioner-cum-Deputy Commissioner, U.T., Chandigarh. Ms. Nazuk Kumar, IAS, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Central), Sh. Rakesh Kumar Popli, PCS, Collector (Excise) & Sh. R. K. Chaudhary, Asstt. Excise & Taxation Commissioner as members of the Allotment Committee and Sh. Sourabh Kumar Arora, PCS as observer appointed by the Chandigarh Administration.

After this phenomenal success, the Department is also geared up to implement other measures outlined in the policy approved by Hon’ble Governor of Punjab-cum-the Administrator and the Adviser, like granting all permits/ passes also online. This would eliminate the need for any licensee to physically visit the office, thereby promoting transparency and ease of doing business.

E-tender for the remaining 16 vends will start from 24.06.2020 at 11:00 am and will be available at https://etenders.chd.nic.in and the bidder can start to submit their bids from 24.06.2020 (11:00 am).

Schedule of dates for allotment of remaining 16 liquor vends:-

• Starting date and time for bid submission From  24th June 2020 (11:00 am)
• Closing date and time for bid submission Till   29th June 2020 (up to 02:00 pm)
• Technical opening of e-bids 29th June 2020 (03:00 pm onwards)
• Opening of Financial e-bids 29th June 2020 (04:30 pm onwards)

Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and the Administrator, U.T., Chandigarh, Adviser to the Administrator and Secretary (E&T) U.T., Chandigarh after detailed deliberations, had approved the Excise Policy for the period 2020-21(01.07.2020 to 31.03.2021). The new Excise Policy aimed at ushering in transparency and increasing the revenue of the State by use of technology. The e-tendering was done and all the stakeholders were given extensive training for use of digital signatures as well as software developed by NIC for this purpose. All the bidders submitted their bids online and no manual bids were accepted. The Excise Policy also attempted to curb any cartelization/ creation of monopolies by restricting allotment to a single entity up to a maximum of 10 liquor vends only. This aimed at providing a level playing field for everyone, while at the same time increasing revenues of the State.