GUWAHATI: Assam is witnessing a staggering daily sale of more than 5.30 lakh bulk litres (BL) of liquor, resulting in a revenue collection of over Rs 10 crore per day.
Revealing this data to the Assembly on Wednesday, Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya’s informed that the daily average sale of India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) stands at an impressive 3,06,772.577 BL.
Additionally, the approximate daily sales figures for beer and country spirits are 1,66,589.883 BL and 57,818.365 BL, respectively, he informed.
Replying to a query by Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, the minister also disclosed that Assam has 486 country spirit shops. As of August, this fiscal year, the state has accumulated a remarkable Rs 1,718.75 crore in excise revenue.
Suklabaidya, however, noted that rural areas have not seen new licenses for wine shops or bars except for bar-cum-restaurants in tourist resorts.
Explaining the concept of “bulk” litre versus “standard” litre, Suklabaidya clarified that the former represents the actual volume of the liquid, while the latter denotes the volume at standard temperature and density.
In the last financial year, Assam’s excise department had raked in an average daily revenue of Rs 10.85 crore.
The state has achieved this through the issuance of licenses for 1,684 wine shops and 896 bars. These licenses have been strategically distributed, with urban areas receiving them based on demand and areas near inter-state borders getting them to combat liquor smuggling.
Back in March, the Assam government had officially reported that a substantial number of 757 new licenses for liquor outlets and bars had been granted since the year 2016.
This licensing strategy led to the issuance of licenses for 390 bars, 14 foreign liquor shops, and 353 Indian liquor outlets. The minister had also revealed that state’s excise revenue had soared to an impressive Rs 3,548.31 crore then.
