Kolkata: Most of the ‘OFF’ liquor shops located across West Bengal remained closed on Wednesday owing to lack of stock, an official of a licensees’ association said.
Although the manufacturers were allowed to resume operations in the state, the production volume was affected due to less workforce being deployed at the units to meet with the lockdown norms, he said.
The official of West Bengal Foreign Liquor Manufacturers, Vendors and Wholesalers Association said that it will take time may be more than a month – for the situation to normalise.
Owing to the imposition of 30 per cent sales tax on the MRP by the government, the manufacturers working capital requirements have increased, for which there is no policy either from the government or banks.
The government has allowed home delivery of liquor to those ordering online, but the response is still tepid due to poor stock available with the BEVCO, the state government warehouse for stocking liquor.
“We hope things will be better once supplies improve”, he said.
