Nov 27: The Maharashtra government has decided to ban naming of liquor shops, beer bars and permit rooms after deities, historical figures and forts across the state but it is missing out on an opportunity to ban the liquor retail shops naming themselves as wine shops, which has been a norm in the country and is the main factor behind people mistakenly clubbing liquor with wines, one of the hindrances in public acceptance of wine, writes Subhash Arora
Officials from the state’s labour department said a notification in this regard would be issued soon by the excise department. Reportedly, the issue was raised in March 2017 in the Legislative Council through a calling attention motion, demanding a legal provision. The Excise Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule discussed the issue with excise and labour department officials and then ordered to set up a committee under the chairmanship of the labour minister with members from the Legislative Council and officials from both the departments to take a decision on the issue.
“The issue was discussed and a decision has been taken to ban naming the liquor-related shops and establishments after deities, historical figures and forts. We have made the provision in rules, which are being prepared by the labour department to keep the shops and establishment open for 24 hours,” Labour Minister Sambhaji Patil reportedly told The Indian Express.
“Since the state excise department issues licences to the wine shops, beer bars and permit rooms, the excise department has also been asked to issue notification banning the use of names of deities, historical figures and forts to the liquor-related establishments,” added Patil.
There is apparently no mention about the issue of liquor shops labelled as Wine Shops as is the current practice. A majority of the older liquor shops have been named as ‘Wine Shop’. Besides making Indians a laughing stock globally, it does not make sense and perhaps the law makers earlier did not know the difference between wine and liquor and though wine was not sold from these shops at all, there was no difference perceived between liquor and wine.
At the present time, there is no provision in the Shops and Establishment Act for banning names of deities, historical figures and forts to wine shops, beer bars and permit rooms. (Even wine shops mentioned here sell mostly spirits!). Recently, the state government has cleared an amendment in shops and establishment Act that allows keeping the shops open 24/7. A provision to change the name of the shops selling predominantly liquor and calling themselves as Wine Shops could have been added as a part of the government order, thus paving the way for the other States to follow suit. This opportunity has been missed unless some enlightened legislators and bureaucrats realise the difference and force these shops to either stock more wine or change their name from the current Wine Shop to liquor shop or at least wine, beer and liquor shop so that the ordinary consumer may be educated about wine being a separate category.
It is high time that the Excise and Labour Ministers are met with and encouraged to rectify the oversight and add the provision in the proposed change which is fair and recommended by delWine as well.
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