After giving a nod to reopening of stand-alone liquor shops in all red, orange and green categorised zones in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has now lifted the ban on manufacturing, distribution and sale of pan masala. However, the ban on the manufacturing and sale of tobacco and pan masala/gutkha containing nicotine will continue to remain unchanged in the state.
The Uttar Pradesh government had on March 25 announced the ban on the manufacture and sale of pan masala, stating the move will help stop the spread of coronavirus. The ban was imposed on the first day of the nationwide lockdown for an indefinite period.
Expressing concerns over flouting of lockdown norms that were put in place to contain the further spread of novel coronavirus, BJP MP from Unnao, Sakshi Maharaj raised questions over the sale of liquor and pan masala in the Covid-19-affected state.
“When the lockdown is proving to be a boon for people’s health and life, then why relaxation is being given on liquor, beedi, cigarette, gutkha, pan masala and other narcotic material?” he tweeted yesterday.
BJP MLA Surendra Singh on Thursday also asked the state government to "reconsider" its decision to allow the sale of liquor in the state, saying that for the sake of revenue, compromising with human lives is not justified. While talking to reporters, he said other measures can be taken for revenue generation in the state.
"The government should reconsider its decision to allow sale of liquor. The sale of liquor should be banned... other measures can be taken for revenue generation," Singh said while talking to reporters.
"Due to liquor sale, implementation of the coronavirus lockdown is not possible. For revenue, compromising with human lives is not justified," he said and praised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for banning liquor.
"Nitish is only one such leader who stopped big revenue source in poor state of Bihar for the people. It is only possible for a leader like him," he added.
The MLA said that only Nitish Kumar is doing the work of a "jansewak", not Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Echoing similar sentiments, another BJP MP from Kanpur, Satyadev Pachauri had wrote a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and had raised concerns over the issue of social distancing norms being flouted during the sale of liquor outside shops in the state.
A day after reopening liquor stores and relaxing lockdown norms, BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government decided to impose a ‘corona tax’ on alcohol and raised prices of petrol and diesel. The decision was taken yesterday at a cabinet meeting in Lucknow.
Highlighting on the same, state Finance Minister Suresh Khanna said that Uttar Pradesh will impose an additional VAT (Value-Added Tax) of Rs 2 per litre on petrol and Rs 1 per litre on diesel, which is expected to generate additional revenue of Rs 2,070 crore for the cash-starved state exchequer.
Meanwhile, on being asked about the imposition of ‘corona tax’ on liquor, he said the revised rates are likely to generate an additional revenue of Rs 2,350 crore to the state.
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