Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The process of transferring retail liquor shops to government control began across Jharkhand on Tuesday, with the handover of 329 shops initiated on the first day. This move follows the state government’s decision to stop using private placement agencies after a major liquor scam was unearthed.
End of Private Agency Operations
The state government had ordered the termination of all contracts with manpower placement agencies effective from June 30.1 Previously, these private agencies, selected through tenders, were responsible for running the retail liquor shops on behalf of the Jharkhand State Beverages Corporation (JSBCL). Their primary duty was to sell the liquor and deposit the daily sales revenue directly into the corporation’s account. However, investigations revealed a major scam where several companies failed to deposit the full amount.
Paving Way for New Excise Policy
This handover of all 1453 retail shops to the JSBCL is a critical step towards implementing a new state excise policy. The new policy mandates that licenses for selling retail liquor will be granted through a public auction of the shops. The recent scam exposed significant irregularities, with some agencies’ outstanding dues exceeding their submitted bank guarantees, while others were found to have secured the contracts using fraudulent bank guarantees. The government’s takeover aims to plug these financial leakages and establish a more transparent system.
