Shillong, Aug 7: Meghalaya has introduced a framework to regulate country liquor and reduce the categories of bonded warehouses from three to two.
This new rule is only applicable for fermented local drinks made traditionally by people across the state such as bitchi, apong, judima, and others and does not cover distilled liquor.
Addressing media persons after the cabinet meeting, chief minister Conrad K Sangma said the amendments to the Meghalaya Excise Rules will allow for the regulation of fermented country liquor, enabling local entrepreneurs to promote their traditional drinks.
A framework has been established to grant necessary permissions to individuals and firms interested in producing fermented country liquor.
“There was no framework to regulate them in the past. So we have created a framework to regulate the fermented country liquor,” Sangma said.
“Slowly, we will engage with others for the distilled ones because the distilled ones are being done even at the traditional heads level so those need a larger engagement but fermented ones are things that are being done at large and small scale and now entrepreneurs are keen to make this more commercial in the sense from a tourism point of view. So all of these things are being done and for that this amendment has been made and this will now allow our local entrepreneurs and local individuals who are interested in this fermented country liquor to now produce it and make it in a proper manner and a framework for that has been passed today by the cabinet,”he added.
Sangma also informed that the cabinet has reduced the categories of bonded warehouses from three to two, simplifying the process for businesses.
The two categories are: turnover of ₹20 crores per annum and above and turnover below ₹20 crores per annum.
Meanwhile, the wine policy has been expanded to include rhizome, ginger, bulb roots, floral sources, and honey as ingredients for homemade wines.
“All these kinds also when converted into home made wines these products will also be included in the home made wine policy,” Sangma stated.
