Panaji, March 5 (IANS): Thanks to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, residents of Goa can now buy and drink alcohol up to 4 a.m.

In his budget presented Wednesday, Parrikar allowed retail outlets to be open till 4 a.m. in exchange for a fee of Rs.2 lakh per annum.

"I propose to permit additional timings for serving liquor by retail vendors of Indian Made Foreign Liquor, country liquor and foreign liquor, situated in coastal villages and within the limits of the corporation of Panaji and the municipalities of Mormugao, Margao, Mapusa and Ponda," Parrikar said in his budget speech.

While 11 p.m. was the cut-off for sale of liquor at retail outlets, the timing has been extended to 1 a.m., provided the vendor pays a surcharge of Rs.50,000 annually.

The stores can remain open till 4 a.m. by paying a surcharge of Rs.2 lakh annually.

Parrikar's budget, however, banned non-residents from applying for excise licences for retail sale of liquor.

The ban, according to Parrikar, was to check an alcohol mafia, which was taking root in Goa.