Rajasthan
Customers now have to shell out Rs 5-10 more for a bottle of beer in Rajasthan | Jaipur News
JAIPUR: With the revised prices of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) coming into effect, beer lovers will now have to shell out an extra Rs 5-10 on every beer bottle. After the excise department revised the rates of beer this financial year, its prices increased marginally.
This year, the department had decided to remove 30 per cent additional excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor. With this, it was expected IMFL including beer will become cheaper from next financial year. However, the department has increased the ex-distillery price on different liquor brands, resulting in slight increase in prices.
A liquor vendor said, “Abolishing the additional excise duty benefited companies to an extent. However, with the increase of EDP, other taxations have also increased, which will be borne by the consumers. Prices of many IMFL brands have increased by Rs 50 to 60 per bottle.”
The excise department will also organise an e-auction of nearly 7,00 liquor shops including 37 the state capital on April 5, after it failed to find takers earlier.
There are 7,665 liquor shops in the state and owners have to apply for renewal every year. However, the department found no takers for these shops in all the divisions. “These shops were auctioned in three phases which started from March 13. The second phase auction was held on March 20, while the third and final phase auction was on March 27. Still, many shops were not taken by any buyers. One more auction is organised from April 5,” said an official.
If the liquor shops still find no takers in the auction, they will be run by government departments including Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), Ganganagar Sugar Mill (GSM) and Rajasthan State Beverages Corporation Limited (RSBCL).
The officers and employees of these departments will operate liquor shops so that the state government can earn revenue. At present, liquor is the biggest source of revenue for the state government. Excise department had set a target of Rs 15,000 crore revenue in the previous financial year (2022-23), which will increase 10 % in this financial year.
This year, the department had decided to remove 30 per cent additional excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor. With this, it was expected IMFL including beer will become cheaper from next financial year. However, the department has increased the ex-distillery price on different liquor brands, resulting in slight increase in prices.
A liquor vendor said, “Abolishing the additional excise duty benefited companies to an extent. However, with the increase of EDP, other taxations have also increased, which will be borne by the consumers. Prices of many IMFL brands have increased by Rs 50 to 60 per bottle.”
The excise department will also organise an e-auction of nearly 7,00 liquor shops including 37 the state capital on April 5, after it failed to find takers earlier.
There are 7,665 liquor shops in the state and owners have to apply for renewal every year. However, the department found no takers for these shops in all the divisions. “These shops were auctioned in three phases which started from March 13. The second phase auction was held on March 20, while the third and final phase auction was on March 27. Still, many shops were not taken by any buyers. One more auction is organised from April 5,” said an official.
If the liquor shops still find no takers in the auction, they will be run by government departments including Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC), Ganganagar Sugar Mill (GSM) and Rajasthan State Beverages Corporation Limited (RSBCL).
The officers and employees of these departments will operate liquor shops so that the state government can earn revenue. At present, liquor is the biggest source of revenue for the state government. Excise department had set a target of Rs 15,000 crore revenue in the previous financial year (2022-23), which will increase 10 % in this financial year.
