The State Excise Department is now facing a tough time to meet the revenue target set by the State Government following protests by various social organisations and local residents against opening of liquor shops in their localities in the capital and other parts of the State.
A senior excise officer said that the number of liquor shops across the State is 503.
“The department officers have taken several steps in the recent past to open all the licensed shops. Following protests of various organisations, some liquor shops remain closed. Things continuing this way, the owners of the licensed shops which are open are unable to sell, landing us in a tight spot with no hope of the target being met,” he said.
Dehradun district excise officer Manoj Upadhyay said that in three months (June, July and August) the department has lost around 10 per cent of the target revenue.
“This year-2017-18 (June to March), the State Government has fixed an excise tax revenue target of Rs 422 crores against Rs 320 crore collected for the year 2017-18 in Dehradun district. Excise taxes on liquor shops have been increased too from the previous 25 to 45 per cent, depending on the previous records of sale at the shops,” he added. He said that they are trying their best to achieve the set target. “The demonstration is coming in the way of it,” he added. Requesting anonymity, a department official said that they are not getting full cooperation from the police department. “Several cases have been registered against the agitators who forcibly shut the shops. However, police are not arresting the persons, emboldening them to continue with the stir and compounding our problems,” he said.
“They should be present at the scene before the stirs are staged instead of reaching there after the agitators indulge in ransacking and the like,” he added. Notably, the State excise department has increased the excise revenue target to Rs 2,310 crore for 2017-18 from last year’s collection of Rs 1,905 crore. In the year 2016- 17, though the revenue target had been fixed at Rs 2,100 crore, the State excise department had managed to achieve Rs 1,905 crore.