Shillong: In an effort to bolster revenue and combat the illicit liquor trade, the Meghalaya government has approved a proposal to implement QR code technology on all Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) bottles sold within the state.
The Meghalaya cabinet, during its meeting on Thursday, approved the proposal by the Excise Department to have a QR code-based tracking system for every bottle of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) sold in the state.
The QR codes will enable authorities to track the journey of each bottle, from the manufacturing plant to the retail outlet.
This technology is expected to significantly reduce revenue leakage by 5-10 percent by identifying discrepancies in the supply chain.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma stated that the QR code-based traking system will provide greater transparency and accountability, ensuring that liquor is sold only through authorized channels.
The system will enable authorities to monitor the entire supply chain from production to retail and help to curb illicit trade, he added.
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In addition to the QR code initiative, the Meghalaya cabinet has approved a composite bar license for hotels, streamlining the licensing process.
This will allow hotels with multiple bars to obtain a single license, simplifying the application and renewal procedures. However, the composite license fee will be higher than individual bar licenses.
