BENGALURU: The Excise Department has asked the Finance Department to scale down its revenue target of Rs 14,400 crore by about Rs 1,000 crore.
Excise Minister Satish Jarkiholi told reporters here on Saturday that the department had collected Rs 10,000 crore by the end of December, which is Rs 900 crore more than the previous year. In the remaining three-month period of the financial year, the department is expected to collect Rs 3,700 crore, a shortfall of about Rs 1,000 crore of the target, set by the government, he said.
He blamed the stagnant tax structure for the department possibly not meeting the tax target. He said that the state government had not increased tax on liquor in the past one year.
Ruling out permitting new liquor licences in the state, he said that there was no such proposal. On the demand of some Congress legislators to do away with imposing VAT on retail liquor sale, he said, “The CM is expected to respond to the demand in his budget.” He ruled out the possibility of re-introduction of sale and manufacture of arrack and Neera.
‘Not Happy With Portfolio’
Jarkiholi who is not happy with his portfolio wants to take any other responsibility which directly deals with the common people. Jarkiholi, who keeps a low profile but wields huge influence in the CM’s close circle, said that he had been promised that he could move to any other portfolio during the next Cabinet reshuffle.”