New Delhi, October 24: In what can be seen as good news for the Delhi government, the Rekha Gupta-led government raked in about INR 600 crore in excise revenue from the sale of liquor during Diwali. The news was confirmed by officials on Thursday, October 23, who said that the government mopped up about INR 600 crore in excise revenue from liquor sales from retail stores run by its corporations during the festival of lights.

Speaking to news agency PTI, a senior officer of the Delhi government said that the excise department recorded sales of INR 594 crore of liquor from the retail vendors during the 15 days preceding Deepawali. The official further added that the revenue from the sale of liquor this year was 15 per cent higher than the sales during the same period in 2024. Delhi Government Mulls Lowering Beer Drinking Age From 25 to 21, Eyes Private Liquor Shops in Excise Policy Revamp.

What Was the Revenue from Liquor Sales in 2024?

The senior officer said that the sale of liquor was INR 516 crore during the fortnight before Diwali last year. "This year's sale of INR 594 crore during the same period shows that there is 15 per cent increase in the total quantum of sale amount of liquor," the senior Delhi government officer added. Officials further said that the Rekha Gupta-led government has registered over 12 per cent growth in excise revenue collection in the first half of the current financial year as compared to the same period last year.

What Are the Official Figures So Far?

According to the official figures, the excise revenue, which also includes value-added tax (VAT), was INR 3,731.79 crore during April-September 2024-25. Notably, the excise revenue grew to INR 4,192.86 crore in the first half of the current financial year. Officials close to the development also added that the rise in liquor sales during the festive season of Diwali (Deepawali) has increased the hopes of crossing the excise revenue target of INR 6,000 crore in 2025-26. Wonder why? That's because officials said that another peak in sales is expected around New Year's Eve. Delhi Air Pollution: City Chokes on Post-Diwali Smog, Air Quality Dips to ‘Very Poor’ Levels (Watch Videos).

It must be recalled that the excise revenue target was set at INR 7,000 crore in the 2025-26 budget; however, it was later reset to INR to Rs 6,000 crore in view of sales-related estimates. It is worth noting that Delhi has over 700 retail liquor outlets, which are run by four corporations of the Delhi government. Meanwhile, to achieve the excise revenue target of INR 6,000 crore, the excise department had directed the government corporation-run vends to ensure timely orders and to keep the stock ready for the festive season.

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