Haryana allows large offices to serve alcohol, cuts excise duty on mild beer and wine, lowers bar licence fee

Large offices in Haryana with at least 5,000 employees and minimum covered area of 100,000 sq ft in a single premises, will be allowed to serve beer, wine and low-content alcoholic drinks in June 2023. Alongside this, excise duty on mild beer, wine and draught beer and the annual fee for bar licenses in restaurants, pubs and cafes will also be reduced. The policy is being seen as a “transformational” move that will redefine liquor consumption in Gurgaon, home to some of the biggest corporate offices in India and will encourage responsible drinking.