The Excise Department has seen a 15% rise in the sale of liquor this Diwali compared to the same period of last year.
According to data shared by the department, it has recorded a sale of liquor worth Rs 594 crore from retail vends during the 15 days preceding Diwali this year. During the same period last year, the department recorded a sale of Rs 516 crore before Diwali. “Thus, the department has seen a 15% increase in the total quantum of sale amount of liquor,” said a senior official from the Excise Department.
Officials said that the sale is expected to increase further in the coming months, with a lot of weddings scheduled for November and December. This time, the department is also pushing people to take temporary licence to buy liquor in bulk to serve at functions, they said.
Officials added that the daily sale also sees a rise ahead of Christmas and the New Year.
Besides, the government has earned a revenue worth Rs 2,500 crore through the collection of excise duty during April-August, the first five months of the financial year.
The department had set a revenue target of Rs 7,000 crore through excise duty, excluding VAT this year.
