Guwahati: Kyrmen Shylla, the Minister in charge of Excise of Meghalaya, announced on Tuesday that the department has temporarily suspended the issuance of licenses for new wine shops and bonded warehouses.
This decision comes as the government works on developing a new system to streamline the licensing process.
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Shylla explained, “We have paused the issuance of licenses for now and will introduce a new mechanism. We will resume issuing new licenses after completing a comprehensive study.”
He further stated that the department is analyzing areas to determine where it needs to increase or reduce the number of wine shops.
“Our officers are actively working on this study,” he added.
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The decision follows complaints from existing wine shop owners, who reported low sales due to the saturation of wine shops in certain areas.
“Based on these complaints, we have halted new license issuance. After completing the study, we will move forward with new licenses. If we find areas with too few wine shops but high sales, we will issue a license, but only after ensuring that all necessary paperwork is in order,” Shylla said.
He also stated that the department will review wine shops located near educational institutions and places of worship, though no new licenses have been issued in these areas.
Additionally, Shylla noted that the department grants licenses based on the No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local headman, who represents the community and understands local sentiments.
“We value the opinions of the local people, and the headman, elected by the community, plays a crucial role. We seek his consent to avoid potential issues or conflicts in the future,” Shylla explained.
When asked about the existing wine shops, Shylla confirmed that they will continue operating, and any relocations will only occur if requested by the business owners.
He also noted that district-level officers regularly conduct spot visits to monitor the situation.