The State received excise revenue of Rs 5,528.36 crore in the year 2021-22 whereas in 2020-21 it was Rs 4,053.51 crore and in 2019-20 Rs 4,495.52 crore.
Replying to a question of Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja in the Assembly, Excise Minister Aswini Kumar Patra said the revenue was earned from both country and foreign liquor sales.
Regarding the licence criteria, the Minister said only the Government-approved and tested liquors are allowed to be sold in shops. If somebody is found selling imported foreign liquor in a Government-licensed shop and found manufacturing spurious liquor, the shop shall be fined Rs 10 lakh and its owner would be imprisoned up to 10 years along with paying fine.
In the last three years, only nine persons reportedly died by consuming illicit or spurious liquor in the State and all cases were reported from Bhadrak district, the Minister said.