Tipplers in Chandigarh seemed to have remained sober last year as liquor consumption plunged by nearly 30 per cent in the current fiscal year 2013-14 as compared to previous fiscal 2012-13.
As per the data with the UT Excise and Taxation department, the consumption of most preferred Indian made foreign liquor (IMFl) has descended considerably. Also, the consumption of beer and country liquor has plunged in last one year. The boozers gulped up 14.68 lakh cases of IMFl till date in current financial year 2013-14 as against 19.62 lakh cases of IMlF consumed during last fiscal 2012-13.
However, the sale of beer and country liquor was no where close to the whopping digits of IMFl sale in the city. As per the data, the denizens guzzled 2.89 lakh cases of beer during last fiscal year while the consumption has went down to 2.37 lakh cases of beer till now in current financial year. The sale of the least preferred booze-country liquor has also dropped down sharply. The residents gulped up 8.76 lakh cases during last fiscal 2012-13 while only 4.98 lakh cases were consumed till date during fiscal 2013-14.
During last fiscal, a total of 31.27 lakh cases of liquor (IMFl, beer, country liquor) were consumed while the residents has guzzled 22.03 lakh cases of liquor so far in current financial year. The excise policy in Chandigarh comes into force on May 1 every year and remains effective till April 30 of next year. But this year, the UT Administration has extended its excise policy 2013-14 by one month, till May 31.
During current fiscal 2013-14, the Administration has also failed to improve its revenue generation as compared to previous financial year. Till March 2013-14, Rs227.08 crore is collected and the department is expecting the total revenue generation to reach Rs250 crore at the end of financial year. During previous fiscal 2012-13, the revenue collection was Rs250. 46 crore and it was Rs223.15 crore till March 2013. The revenue collection in 2009-10 was Rs133.74 crore, which climbed to Rs142 crore in fiscal 2010-11 and Rs231.86 crore in fiscal 2011-12.
At present, the UT Excise and Taxation department is in process of finalising the excise policy for next fiscal 2014-15. A senior official of the UT Administration said, “The liquor consumption has declined in last three years in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The rates of liquor are now higher as compared to neighbouring States.” “In new excise policy, the Administration is considering to bring liquor rates at par with Punjab and Haryana. Also, we are working to bring down the liquor quota for vends,” he added.
The new excise policy of Punjab Government came into force from April 1, in which the State Government has reduced the rates of liquor, putting pressure on the UT Administration to follow the suit. The Union Territory of Chandigarh has 217 liquor vends including 152 Indian made foreign liquor vends and 65 country liquor vends.