Digital Goa, August, 5 – The Goa Deposit Refund Scheme (GDRS) Authority has deferred the implementation of Phase I of the Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS) for liquor and liquor-based products by seven months. A fresh notification issued on August 5 partially modifies the earlier notification dated June 30, 2026, which had proposed rolling out the scheme from September 1, 2026, with registration of Producers, Importers and Brand Owners (PIBOs) to be completed by July 31, 2026.
Under the revised notification, Phase I will now come into effect from April 1, 2027, and all PIBOs dealing in liquor products must obtain registration under the DRS on or before February 28, 2027. Registration remains mandatory for placing liquor products in the Goa market from the revised implementation date.
The June notification had brought liquor products packaged in glass, plastic, metal, multi-layered packaging and liquid packaging boards under the ambit of the Deposit Refund Scheme. The latest notification changes only the implementation and registration timelines, while the scope of Phase I remains unchanged.
