MP govt receives 13 applications to open resort bars in tiger

The Madhya Pradesh government has received 13 applications to open resort bars in Bandhavgarh and Kanha tiger reserves and other forest areas, after license fees were slashed.

The move will lead to availability of liquor for tourists visiting these areas, as the resorts were earlier not keen to open bars in view of the higher license fees.

The rationale behind bringing down license fees was that the move would check illegal consumption of booze in these areas.

"We have received 13 applications to open resort bars in Bandhavgarh and Kanha tiger reserves besides in other forest areas. This will reduce illegal consumption of liquor in such areas," Minister for Commercial Tax Brajendra Singh Rathore told reporters on Sunday.

Rathore said these applications were received after the government recently reduced license fees for bars to operate in such locations.

"Resorts in forests and tiger reserves were not opening bars due to higher license fees, which was encouraging ...