Hic! Telangana set to uncork booze sales record

Hic! Telangana set to uncork booze sales record
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Even big States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are lagging behind Telangana in generation of revenues from liquor sales this year.  

Hyderabad: Even big States like Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are lagging behind Telangana in generation of revenues from liquor sales this year.

Telangana is set to emerge as the second highest revenue generating State after Tamil Nadu in the country. The State Excise department, which already earned Rs 10,000 crore in the last seven months between November and May, is gearing up to pocket another Rs 10,000 crore through liquor sales in the remaining five months up to October. The financial year of the Excise department begins in October in the State.

Excise officials said that revenues from liquor sales were above the targets set by the government in the present financial year. As against the target of Rs 16,000 crore, the department has already earned Rs 10,000 crore in the first half of the financial year and would reach Rs 20,000 crore mark by October-end.

The only State that generated more than Rs 20,000 crore revenue through liquor sales is Tamil Nadu, officials said, adding that Telangana would be the second State to reach Rs 20,000 crore mark. While Uttar Pradesh raked in Rs 19,000 crore, Karnataka earned Rs 18,000 crore followed by Andhra Pradesh – Rs 15,000 crore, Kerala - Rs 11,000 crore and Madhya Pradesh – Rs 10,000 crore. West Bengal could earn only Rs 7,000 crore from liquor trade.

Officials said that strict measures taken by the Excise department including abolition of illicitly-distilled liquor trade in villages, curbing NDPL (Non-Duty Paid Liquor) smuggling from neighbouring States and hike of liquor prices helped the department generate more revenues.

Officials added that the highest ever sale of beer in summer this year in the State has filled the coffers with more revenues. The State registered highest sale of beer in the country in May. More than 55 lakh cases of beer were sold. Of the 2,060 licenced wine shops in the State, officials said 50 per cent of them were selling liquor more than the targets set by the government. The officials hoped the same trend in liquor sales would continue in the coming months too.

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