The State Assembly’s Standing Committee for the Department of Excise has recommended rewarding of licensed IMFL (India made foreign liquor) traders, who are selling more liquor than the Minimum Guarantee Quotas (MGQs), by allowing them to open more IMFL shops in the State.
The committee’s report was presented in State Assembly on Friday. As the department is a good resource-generating one, the committee has recommended increasing of its staff strength and providing more infrastructural support to the officers.
The Excise Department has been achieving its target of revenue collection every year. From Rs 848.97 crore of revenue in 2009-10, it has reached Rs 3,925 crore in 2018-19. For the year 2019-20, the Government has fixed an excise revenue target of Rs 4,600 crore.
The committee has also stressed upon rationalisation of the MGQ of the shops located in rural areas.
Another important recommendation of the committee is that in order to generate more revenue and check trafficking of spurious liquor, more IMFL ‘off’ shops should be opened.
The panel has also recommended opening of more depots of the Odisha State Beverages Corporation (OSBC) with required infrastructure to facilitate supply of liquor to retailers. Besides, it has also recommended that the excise administration be made more effective.
The Standing Committee, headed by MLA Subrat Tarai, has other legislators including Suresh Kumar Routray, Chandra Sarathi Behera, Snehangini Chhuria, Raghu Ram Padal, PR Dhada, Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, GRS Khuntia, Jagannath Naik, Mousadhi Bag, Sambit Routray and Pravu Jani as its members.
The committee report has also pointed out a rising trend of lifting of different beverages such as IMFL, beer and country spirit. The report said the OSBC’s turnover has risen from Rs 735.28 crore in 2007-08 to Rs 4,738.36 crore in 2018-19. From 2002-03 to 2018-19, the OSBC has contributed Rs 89 crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.