Beehive of activity at excise office

Mancherial: The excise office here has witnessed unprecedented rush with people rushing to file tenders for the excise year 2017-19 on Tuesday, the last day to file tenders.

The traders competed with one another to file the bids anticipating an increase in the liquor sales because of elections to various institutions.

The District Collector will allot shops to the applicants through a draw of lots to be conducted on September 22 for the new excise year commencing from October 1.

The State government invited bids from liquor traders for the excise year 2017-19 to allot 69 shops in Mancherial district.

Tenders have been invited to allot 39 shops in the areas that have population of 50,000 or less and to allot 30 shops in areas whose population ranges between 50,000 and 1,50,000.

The price fixed for each shop in areas with population up to 50,000 is Rs 45 lakh, while the price quoted for the shops in areas having population up to 1,50,000 is Rs 55 lakh.

Those who placed their bids for allotment of the liquor shops should attach a DD drawn for 5% of the quoted price to their tender form.

For allotment of 69 shops, last time the total number of bids received was 539. This time the number is likely to go up to 570. Many are seeking allotment of shops in Mancherial town.

In view of the forthcoming elections to village sarpanches, mandal and zilla parishads, State Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha, the liquor sales are likely to go up. Keeping this in mind, many traders are vying with one another in placing the bids.