Punjab waives annual licence fees of hotels, marriage palaces, restaurants, bars from April to Sept

Chandigarh [India], September 30 (ANI): Agreeing with the recommendations of the Group of Ministers, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Wednesday gave nod to the waiver of the annual licence fee of bars, marriage places, hotels and restaurants for the years 2020-21, proportionately for the months of April to September 2020.
As per the official release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), he also waived the quarterly assessed fee of these places for the first two quarters--from April to June and July to September, 2020.
CMO that the financial implications after 50 per cent waiver of annual licence fees pertaining to the period from April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020 would be to the tune of Rs 1355.50 lakh in respect of the 1,065 licensee bars in hotels and restaurants which is half the estimated revenue collection for 2020-2021.
"Likewise, in respect of the total 2,324 licensee marriage palaces corresponding to the aforementioned period, the financial implications would amount to Rs 350 lakh which would also be half of the estimated revenue collection for 2020-2021. In respect of waiving the advance quarterly assessed fee on bars licences, no implications of financial nature are involved as the waiver would only be on assessed fee collected in advance which is adjustable and now the collection is being proposed to be deferred to the point of purchase by bars," it said.
The CMO said that the Hotel & Restaurant Association of Punjab, Hotel Restaurant & Resort Association, Punjab and the Marriage Palace Association, Punjab in their representation to the GoM, sought relaxation in the licence fee and the quarterly assessed fee due to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent imposition of curfew and lockdown which severely affected their business.
"The matter was then discussed with the Excise Commissioner Rajat Agarwal and Financial Commissioner (Taxation) A. Venu Prasad and subsequently referred to the Chief Minister for approval," it added. (ANI)