HYDERABAD: Revenue from the Telangana State Prohibition and Excise department in the ongoing financial year (2017-18) has already exceeded last year’s revenue. This year, according to latest data, the department has recorded Rs 8,134 crore revenue while it was only Rs 5,772 crore in 2016-17. Financial year ends on March 31.
Principal secretary of the State Prohibition and Excise department Somesh Kumar said that the revenue is more even if VAT, which is collected by Commercial Taxes department, is considered too.
“If another component (VAT) is included too, the revenue in 2017-18 is Rs 14,244 crore, which is more than last year’s Rs 14,092 crore,” Somesh Kumar said.
While prices of all forms of liquor (except beer) were increased in December end, officials said more than price hike, policy changes brought more money to the State coffers. The revenue might further increase in the next financial year as prices of beer too are proposed to be increased.
In 2017-18, a little over 2.66 crore cases of liquor and 3.70 crore cartons of beer were procured, while it was 2.71 crore cases of liquor and 3.36 crore beer cartons last year.
To avoid losses to the Excise revenue, the Prohibition wing has been tracked and caught gangs which bought duty free liquor brought at airports and sold in commercial markets and cracked down on sale of adulterated liquor.
To keep a tab on the the prices at which wine shops sell liquor, the department has introduced ‘Liquor Price’ mobile app which lists out MRP of 880 brands. Besides, complaints too can be lodged in the App if a store charges more than MRP.