The prices of liquor may go up by 10 to 15 per cent from July as Delhi Government’s excise department has decided to improve its revenue which declined to the tune of Rs 1,161 crore this fiscal.
The decision was pending due to the modal code of conduct. In absolute terms, the increase will vary between Rs 15 and Rs 30 on a bottle depending on brand. The excise department had increased the rates of Indian-Made-Foreign liquor by five per cent in May 2013.
Sources told The Pioneer that the excise department will notify the new rates of liquor in Delhi after May 16. “The final decision will be taken by the lieutenant-Governor and the Chief Secretary in the absence of an elected Government. The prices are expected to be increased by 10 to 15 per cent in July,” said the sources.
After sales tax, excise department provides second highest earning to the State exchequer. What is encouraging the Government is the fact that the sale of liquor has started soaring in the city.The excise department has collected Rs 3,150 crore as tax in 2013-14. Buoyed by the good collection, the Government has revised its revenue target upward to Rs 3,500 crore in the current financial year.
The excise department is of the view that the Assembly poll in December 2013 and lok Sabha elections in 2014 affected the sales which will naturally start soaring high this summer. In 2013, total 55,38,22,944 bottles of IMFl, beer and foreign liquor were sold, while the figure was 4,68,00,05,799 in 2012.
As per data provided by the excise department, at least 4,57,886 cases of Vodka was sold out in 2012 and 4,52,141 cases were sold in 2013. Apart from Vodka, Beer sales have shown encouraging trend. In 2012, 97,65,853 cases of beer were sold and it further grew to 1,09,22,955 cases in 2013. In terms of bottle sale, 13,61,55,336 bottles of beer were sold in 2012 and this rose to 16,55,82,168 bottles in 2013.
There are about 460 liquor vends, including departmental stores and government-owned outlets besides 360 restaurants in the city. The liquor sales in 28 shopping malls across the city also witnessed a rise in 2013-14.