Valentine Day 2024: ban on liquor Rs 300 crore Loss

Bengaluru : On February 14th, bye-elections for the Vidhan Parishad Bangalore Shiksha Ketra will be held in the state, and due to this, the sale of liquor has been banned in Bengaluru from February 14th to the midnight of February 16th. If the sale of liquor is banned for 4 days, the state will lose an estimated Rs 300 crore. It is said that there will be loss.

In this regard, Bengaluru City District Liquor Traders Association (BCDLTA) has written a letter to the election officials expressing their displeasure over the liquor ban.

Alcohol sales are usually higher on Valentine’s Day. Young people these days often visit restaurants and pubs. This will increase the income by 50 percent. However, due to the ban on liquor, around 3,700 establishments in Bengaluru will face a problem and face huge losses, he said in the letter.

The decision on liquor ban should be re-examined by the government and Election Commission. There are only 16,000 voters in the election. They are all educated and intelligent. Officials should take appropriate decisions. He said that food and beverage (F&B) industry should be supported for survival.

PC Rao, president of Bruhat Bangalore Hotel Owners Association, said that the decision to ban liquor was unscientific and unexpected.

Many restaurants in the city organize events on Valentine’s Day. Now the sudden liquor ban will cause huge loss and impact on the business. A turnover of Rs 450 crore is expected in four days, out of which the Excise Department will get Rs 250 crore, this liquor ban decision will not only result in a huge loss to the hoteliers but also to the government. According to statistics, the government collects 60 crores of excise duty per day.