Hyderabad: Record flow of cash from sale of liquor into the state treasury has brought that much-needed relief to the welfare and developmental schemes needing funding.
By February-end, the prohibition and excise department netted Rs 10,957.29 crore in revenue during financial year 2015-2016. The figure is expected to cross the Rs 12,207 crore target by a long way.Revenue from the same department last year was Rs 10,280 crore.
The Hyderabad district alone accounted for Rs 8,239.95 crore liquor revenue followed by Ranga Reddy district with Rs 1,489.98 crore. Nizamabad generated the least revenue, a mere Rs 65.93 crore.“We have touched the '11,000 crore mark. The revenues are sure to touch and even cross the target of '12,207 crore. We got '7,000 crore through VAT and '1,730 crore through excise duties and other taxes,” said excise commissioner R.V. Chandravardan.
Unlike in the past, the excise department focused on curbing distillation and supply of illicit liquor across the state, banned sale of gudumba and plugged tax holes and increased vigilance. This led to a spurt in the sale of duty-paid liquor.
“We launched a concerted drive across TS on the ill-effects of consumption of gudumba and other illicit liquor. This helped in boosting sales of duty paid liquor,” Dr Chandravardan said.The recent Sammakka Saralamma jatra also added to the coffers where the excise department earned Rs '3 crore during the festivities through sale of liquor, mostly beer.
Revenues earned so far in various districts across the state: Hyderabad Rs 8,239.95 crore, Ranga Reddy Rs 1,489.98 crore, Medak Rs 375.05 crore, Warangal Rs 171.55 crore, Karimnagar Rs 156.41 crore, Nalgonda Rs 139.49 crore, Mahbubnagar Rs 125.20 crore, Khammam Rs 113.98 crore, Adilabad Rs 79.75 crore and Nizamabad Rs 65.93 crore.
