Latest News | Excise Policy: Revenue from Liquor to Go Up, Smuggling to Be Checked, Says Punjab FM

Chandigarh, Jun 9 (PTI) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday said that with the new excise policy rolled out by the state government, revenue from the liquor sector will increase to Rs 9,600 crore, and smuggling from the neighbouring states will also be checked.

"Revenue from liquor will increase to Rs 9,600 crore," said Cheema here.

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The liquor mafia will be finished with the new excise policy. "Smuggling of liquor from other states will also come to an end," he added.

The minister also trashed allegations of the opposition parties, which claimed that the new excise policy would benefit a few companies.

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The Cabinet of the Aam Aadmi Party-led government on Wednesday had approved its first excise policy in which it set a target of collecting Rs 9,647.85 crore, 40 per cent higher than the revenue mobilised from the liquor business last year.

The policy strives to keep a stringent check on the smuggling of liquor from the neighbouring state through extensive enforcement and by incorporating new technological measures.

The Cabinet had also given nod for allotting two special battalions of police to the excise department, in addition to the already existing force, for keeping an effective vigil over the excise duty pilferage and a better check over the supply of illicit liquor into Punjab from the neighbouring states.

With the new excise policy, the rates of liquor are expected to drop by 30 to 40 per cent, on par with the rates of Union Territory Chandigarh and Haryana.

Notably, liquor smuggling from Chandigarh and neighbouring Haryana has been a major challenge for the state.

BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa on Tuesday had accused the AAP government of replicating the Delhi excise model to benefit a few.

Meanwhile, Punjab Excise Commissioner Varun Roojam on Thursday said the new excise policy will prove to be a death knell for the liquor mafia, besides checking the smuggling of liquor from neighbouring states.

He said the policy envisages the creation of new employment opportunities for the people of Punjab from the liquor-related manufacturing sector.

Roojam in a statement said the license to set up distilleries, bottling plants and breweries have been re-opened and the policy has also allowed the setting up of malt manufacturing units in Punjab with emphasis on setting up of new ethanol plants, all of which will open new vistas of employment for youth.

He said the reduction in liquor prices will not cause a significant increase in consumption but consumers will get products at competitive rates.

Punjab has been suffering because of smuggling from neighbouring states and the reduction in prices of liquor will effectively curb the inter-state liquor smuggling activities, he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)