A Group of Punjab Ministers has decided to recommend to the Chief Minister waiver of annual license fee of the Bars for the years 2020-21

Chandigarh: A Group of Punjab Ministers has decided to recommend to the Chief Minister waiver of annual license fee of the Bars for the years 2020-21, proportionately for the months of April to September 2020, in view of the losses suffered due to the pandemic.

Similarly, quarterly assessed fee for the first two quarters i.e. April-June and July-September, 2020 to be charged from the Bars may be waived off, they have decided to suggest to the Chief Minister.

Capt Amarinder Singh

The Group took the decision after a meeting with representatives of Hotel & Bar Associations and Marriage Palace Associations here on Monday, according to an official spokesperson.

The Associations made their representation to the Group, comprising Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal, Housing & Urban Development Minister Sukhbinder Sarkaria and Forests and Printing & Stationery Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the hotels, restaurants and marriage palaces are closed since March, 2020, due to which the Associations said they were suffering heavy losses. Till date, business activity was at a standstill, they represented to the Group of Ministers.

Punjab government

After hearing the grievances of the hotel and marriage palace industries, the Group of Ministers decided on making the recommendation of proportionate annual license fee waiver to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

The Associations also demanded that the timings for opening of Bars/holding of functions etc. should be increased upto 10 PM. It was decided that the issue of extending the timings will be taken up at the next meeting of the Cabinet, scheduled for Wednesday (September 9, 2020).