jaipur government licenced liquor retail shops remained shut in jaipur jodhpur udaipur and ajmer on tuesday causing losses of rs 4 crore to the state exchequer while the retailers association said shops would open on wednesday they wanted the government to act on the list of demands submitted to the authorities on tuesday protests and sloganeering by owners of some liquor outlets against the stifling excise policy were witnessed in some places but were quickly reigned in by the association the symbolic oneday strike in the four major cities of jaipur jodhpur ajmer and udaipur has caused losses of around rs 4 crore our aim was to sensitise the government of the paralysing business environment we are currently operating in hope the government takes up the issues urgently and finds solutions said hetram meel of the liquor association most of the losses would accrue to the government as the retailers get only 10 of it the retailers are protesting against raids by sales tax department for overpricing of liquor despite the excise department having its own arm for such actionswe strongly object to the actions by the sales tax department as they do not keep track of the frequent pricing changes and the difficulties the retailers face they dont know that we are guaranteed by the government to get 20 margin which has been reduced to 10 now said meel vat has also become a contentious issue retailers said they sold as per the printed mrp unlike in restaurants and lounges they dont charge vat from consumers but they have to pay the tax the authorities have assured us to change the policy next year added meel the application money this year crossed rs 1100 crore before the lotteries were drawn rajesh dukia a retailer said for getting a licence we had to make several applications and deposit the money but the returns are nowhere closer to the promise made by the department