PATIALA – Eighteen women entrepreneurs in Punjab will trade in liquor worth more than Rs 1,300 crore in the current fiscal. Proven lucky in the recently concluded draw of lots held by the Excise and Taxation Department, the women have bagged prime liquor zones in 22 districts, which are further divided into 78 excise zones, in the state where liquor trade is the new money-spinner.
Additional Excise and Taxation Commissioner (Excise) Neelam Chaudhary says many women have broken the tradition and joined the liquor trade. “Business and consumption of liquor are different aspects and women are now complete professionals in handling the trade,” she said.
An excise department official said as per the quota fixed by the government, the 18 women traders would be accountable to sell liquor worth Rs 1,306.72 crore.
Officials confirmed that nearly a dozen of these women would be actively involved in the trade, while the rest would let the men in their families take over. “In many districts, liquor traders and contractors had applied for draws in the name of women in their families as they are considered auspicious,” said a contractor who had applied in his daughter’s name and bagged three excise zones.
Excise wing chief Chaudhary said: “I do not think these women are rubberstamps. Many of them are surely in this trade to make the most of their fortunes.”
