Excise revenue up marginally: Minister

BENGALURU: State Excise revenue for the current financial year has increased marginally, and the department is confident of reaching its revenue target of Rs 22,700 crore for 2020-21.  Excise Minister K Gopalaiah on Tuesday told reporters that of the Rs 22,700-crore target, the department collected Rs 19,433.76 crore revenue up to February 8, which is 85.6 per cent of the total target. It is also Rs 822.66 crore more, compared to the same period in the last financial year, when the department had collected Rs 1,8611.18 crore. However, he said there was some decline in the sales of Indian Made Liquor and beer during the current financial year, compared to last year.

He said that after the Covid-19 outbreak, liquor outlets were shut from March 22, 2020, to May 3, 2020, which had a major impact on revenue. The department took a number of measures to mobilise revenue, and at the same time, to check anti-social elements from taking advantage of the situation, he said.  

Gopalaiah said that from July 2020 to December 2020, officials conducted 37,950 raids and registered 19,406 cases for violation of the Excise Act. As many as 175 cases were also registered under the NDPS Act. The department has also decided to provide weapons to officers of the rank of Excise Sub-Inspector and above, and also provide 350 two-wheelers to Excise Sub-Inspectors.