The second day of the online auction of arrack and toddy shops in Puducherry evoked a lukewarm response with no bidders participating for arrack shops.
The Department of Excise on Wednesday began the online sale of arrack and toddy shops. It has tied up with Auction India, a business-to-business e-tendering company, for conducting the bidding process for 78 arrack shops and 44 toddy shops in Puducherry.
Though the existing licensees could renew their respective shops by paying five per cent more than the previous auctioned price, most of them did not come forward to renew them.
“In Puducherry, only 9 out of the total 78 shops were earmarked through auction while the remaining shops failed to receive bids. Similarly, out of 44 toddy shops in Puducherry only three shops were auctioned and earmarked to respective owners,” a senior Excise department official told The Hindu .
The official said that a re-auction would be held in the next few days on www.auctionindia.com. As per the rule, five per cent of the base price would be reduced in the next auction to attract bidders. The details of eligible bidders and Earnest Money Deposit would be uploaded on the auctio website.
A separate user ID provided by the bidder will be on the website and the participant can enter his bid for any toddy or arrack shop from any place during the time through his password and username. The identity of the bidder will be kept confidential and the bid amount alone will be displayed.
Excise is one of the biggest revenue earners for the Puducherry government and the department surpassed its excise revenue target for 2015-16 and achieved Rs.673 crore as against the target for Rs.650. For 2016-17, the department has achieved Rs.145 crore so far as against the target of Rs.775 crore.
