Last Updated on April 11, 2021 at 11:42 am
Interested bidders complained that officials of the Excise Department are clueless about New Excise Policy, especially e-tendering process, aspiring bidders have alleged.
Aspiring bidders met officials at Excise and Taxation Training Institute Nagrota in a pre-bid meeting. They complained that apparently the department has started the process without doing any homework. They said that officials don’t know much about the new policy and are not able to satisfy their queries.
They asked that in case if someone doesn’t have their own shop/land and needs a lease deed/rent deed, officials are unaware if the rent deed/lease deed attested by Notary will be treated as valid or not. There is very less time left for these formalities. They demanded that the government should give them enough time to furnish documents.
One of them said that officials told bidding is open for two wine shops in ward no. 10 and 11 in Poonch but people who run both of these shops are their owners. No shop is available in this area for rent.
He said that moreover, Singh Sabha which is the biggest Gurdwara in Poonch is located in Ward No.10 and in Ward No.11, there is Dashnami Akhada temple situated from where Buddha Amarnath Yatra starts. “If I have problem in getting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for opening shops in these areas, then he wouldn’t get a refund of his bid money” he said.
District Magistrate provides NOC but he has to ask the religious organizations, government and educational institutions before doing so. Moreover, Poonch’s only degree college is located in Ward No. 11. He asked that how is it possible to open a wine shop in an area where there is a temple and a degree college.
Another potential bidder said that officials have not thought about all these issues. He said that even if someone clears the bidding process, then it would be extremely difficult for him to open wine shops in Ward No. 10 and 11. Even if he gets NOC which is extremely difficult to get then still, locals will oppose him. When he asked officials then he was told that there will be no refund after bidding process is over.
People said that this pre-bid meeting failed to satisfy their queries. They asked that if government officials don’t have proper solutions to their queries then who else will.
