HP to levy COVID-19 cess on liquor, 2-year-old girl tests positive in Chamba

Shimla: Taking a cue from Delhi, Haryana and Kerala, Himachal Pradesh on Friday also decided to levy COVID cess on sale on all types of liquor, ranging between Rs 5 to Rs 25 per bottle.

This would help the state government to raise additional revenue of Rs 100 crore from the sale of Beer, IMFL and other foreign brands sold in the state. The decision was taken at a meeting of the cabinet headed by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

However, most disturbing news on Coronavirus spread in the HImachal Pradesh came from Chamba, where a two-year-old girl child was tested positive.

Officials said that her primary contact was her father, a truck driver, who had returned from the industrial area of Baddi (Solan) and tested positive two days ago. He has a travel history of Rajasthan.

In another case, a 42-year-old man, who had returned from Delhi with his wife and two children, tested positive.

With two more cases during the past 24 hours, the number of Coronavirus cases has risen to 48. All new cases are returnees from Delhi and other places.

Meanwhile, details available on cabinet decisions reveal that the government will charge Rs. 5 per bottle on Country Liquor, Rs. 10 per bottle on IMFL, Rs. 5 per bottle/Can on Beer/RTD Indian Made, Rs. 25 per bottle on Foreign Imported Liquor (BIO), Rs. 10 per bottle/Can on Beer/RTD (BIO), Rs. 10 per bottle on Indian Wine/Cider and Rs. 25 per bottle on Wine/Cider (BIO).

Simultaneously, the Cabinet also decided to hike import fees on all kinds of spirits used by the industries (L-19A licenses) for manufacturing all kind of sanitisation products from Rs. 10.50 per bulk litres to Rs. 15 per bulk litres.