Primary Task: Recommend necessary amendments to existing regulations to permit the following practice:

• Allow bulk wine produced from Maharashtra-grown grapes to be blended (mixed) with wines from other wineries for the purpose of wine production at those other wineries
• Grant a 100% exemption from production duty (उत्पादन शुल्क) on the wine produced through such blending

• Secondary Task: Examine the feasibility of granting this exemption with retroactive effect from 2006 (पूर्वलक्षी प्रभावाने सन 2006 पासून)

  Submission Deadline: The committee must submit its report to the Government within 15 days of the date of this resolution (सदर समिती ने आपला अहवाल 15 दिवसांच्या आत शासनास सादर करावा)

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  WHO IS AFFECTED

  • Wine manufacturers/wineries (वाईन उत्पादक) — specifically those utilizing bulk wine made from Maharashtra grapes for blending purposes
  • Grape farmers in Maharashtra (द्राक्ष उत्पादक शेतकरी) — intended beneficiaries through incentivization
  • Excise Department/Commissioner of State Excise (राज्य उत्पादन शुल्क आयुक्त) — implementing authority for rule amendments
  • License Category Affected: Wine manufacturing/production licenses (शराब उत्पादन परवाने)

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  RELEVANT REGULATIONS TO BE AMENDED

  The committee is tasked with recommending changes to existing rules governing:

  • Production duty on wine (वाइन वर उत्पादन शुल्क)
  • Wine blending permissions (वाइन मिश्रण परवानगी)
  • Potentially the Maharashtra Wine Rules or relevant schedules under the Bombay Foreign Liquor Rules 1953 (BFLR) or Bombay Prohibition Act 1949 (BPA)

  (Specific rule/section references are not enumerated in this GR, as it authorizes a committee to draft amendments)

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  PREAMBLE / RATIONALE (प्रस्तावना)

  The Government acknowledges that:

  1. Persistent Demand: Grape farmers and wine producers have continuously requested exemption from production duty on wine made from Maharashtra-grown grapes for blending purposes (राज्यातील द्राक्ष उत्पादक शेतकरी तसेच वाइन उत्पादक घटकामापण सातत्याने मागणी करण्यात येत आहे)

  2. Policy Objective: To incentivize and support grape farmers in Maharashtra by promoting local grape-based wine production (राज्यातील द्राक्ष उत्पादक शेतकऱयांच्या प्रोत्साहन देण्यासाठी)

  3. Regulatory Change Required: Necessary amendments to current rules are required to implement this policy (प्रचलित नियमामध्ये आवश्यक ते बदल करण्याबाबत)

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     IMPORTANT NOTES / CONDITIONS / SPECIAL PROVISIONS

     1. Retroactive Claim: The resolution explicitly requests the committee to examine the feasibility of making any exemption retroactive to 2006 — this is NOT automatically granted but requires feasibility study (शक्याशक्यता तपासणे)

     2. 100% Exemption Scope: The exemption applies to production duty ONLY — other taxes, royalties, or licensing fees are not mentioned as being waived

     3. Blending Requirement: The exemption is conditional on the Maharashtra grape wine being used for blending/mixing with wines from OTHER wineries (अन्य वाईनरीमध्ये वाईन तयार करण्यासाठी मिसळण)

     4. No Automatic Implementation: This GR merely establishes the committee — actual rule amendments will follow only after the committee's report is received and approved by Government

     5. Digital Authentication: The order is digitally signed and available on www.maharashtra.gov.in

     6. Distribution: Copies distributed to Chief Minister's office, Opposition Leaders, Minister for State Excise, Chief Secretary, Commissioners, and Excise records (का. राउशु-3 संग्रहाथण)

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        PROCEDURAL STATUS

        • Current Status: Committee formation approved
        • Next Step: Committee to submit report within 15 days
        • Then: Government will review committee recommendations and issue formal rule amendments (if approved)
        • Timeline to Actual Rule Change: Minimum 15 days from 8 May 2018, likely longer depending on Government's deliberation period

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        FINANCIAL/DUTY IMPACT (Intended)

        Type of Relief: Production Duty Exemption (उत्पादन शुल्क माफी)
        Extent: 100% (पूर्ण माफी)
        Applicable Wines: Wine made from Maharashtra-grown grapes used for blending at other wineries
        Estimated Affected Parties: Wine manufacturers, grape farmers (exact revenue impact not quantified in this GR)

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        DOCUMENTS REFERENCED (Not Provided in This GR)

        • Current wine production duty rules/schedules (to be amended by committee)
        • Maharashtra Wine Rules or relevant schedules under BFLR 1953 / BPA 1949
        • Historical excise policy from 2006 onwards (for retroactive feasibility study)

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        NO FEES SCHEDULE IN THIS DOCUMENT

        This GR does not establish or modify any fee schedule.

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        END OF ANALYSIS