Chandigarh's Excise Department's track and trace system for Liquor fails to deliver

Chandigarh's excise department had planned to introduce a track and trace system to monitor the entire liquor supply chain. This system aimed to curb liquor smuggling by tracking liquor production, distribution, and retail. However, over two months after the implementation of the UT Excise Policy for FY 2024-25, the system is still not operational.

Lack of bidders delays system

The excise department invited bidders on April 8 to implement the tracking system, but no one came forward. The tracking system involves assigning a unique QR code to each liquor bottle and case, allowing for scanning to verify the source and track the movement of the liquor. Despite the importance of this system, no companies showed interest in bidding.

In response, the department has issued another tender, with a pre-bid meeting scheduled for June 19. Applications for this tender are due by July 1. The department hopes this second round will attract bidders to help launch the tracking system.

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Previous attempts and current challenges

This is not the first time the Chandigarh excise department has tried to introduce measures to curb liquor smuggling. In 2017, they planned to use barcodes and batch numbers on liquor bottles and cartons, but this initiative also failed. Smuggling remains a significant issue due to the lower cost of liquor in Chandigarh compared to neighboring states like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat.

To support the track and trace system, the department has developed a mobile app. This app will allow users to check the authenticity of a liquor bottle by scanning its QR code. Despite these efforts, the absence of bidders has stalled the project, highlighting the challenges the department faces in implementing effective anti-smuggling measures.

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The Chandigarh excise department continues to seek solutions to enforce their policy and reduce liquor smuggling. The success of the new tender and subsequent implementation of the track and trace system will be crucial in achieving these goals.