The Rajasthan Excise Department has announced an online auction for the remaining 10% of liquor shops in the state on March 11. This move comes after successfully renewing licenses for 90% of the state’s 7,665 liquor outlets.
Auction Details
- Out of the total liquor shops, 6,899 have already been renewed for the financial year 2025-26. The remaining 766 shops will be auctioned online.
- The auction will take place on the Excise Department’s official website, where participants can log in using their SSO ID portal.
- The bidding process will last for a minimum of five hours, with new bids accepted every 10 minutes as long as there is active participation.
- The minimum bid increment is set at ₹10,000, and no bid can exceed 10% of the previous highest bid.
- Interested bidders must submit their applications by 11:59 PM on March 10 and deposit 2% of the minimum reserve price as security.
Revenue & Policy Implementation
Excise officials noted an improved response from liquor retailers this year. Compared to only 2,600 shop renewals last year, this year saw a much higher participation rate. Officials believe the policy benefits both retailers and manufacturers, encouraging greater involvement.
The department is also focused on maximizing revenue generation. Excise Commissioner Shivprasad Nakate has instructed licensees to promptly pay advance EPA, license fees, advance duty, and distillery license fees. Additionally, all bars must complete their license renewal by February 28 to avoid penalties.
Revenue Target for 2025-26
Rajasthan has set a revenue target of ₹17,100 crore for the upcoming financial year, just ₹100 crore higher than last year. Officials acknowledged that meeting the previous targets had been difficult, but early preparations are being made to ensure success this time.
The department is also working on re-auctioning closed liquor shops to optimize revenue collection.
