PUDUCHERRY: Tipplers in the Union Territory will now have to shell out more for their drink as liquor prices across all categories—Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), beer, and wine—have gone up, following a steep hike in Excise Duty (ED) and Additional Excise Duty (AED). The revised rates, notified by the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management (Excise), came into effect on Wednesday.
This is the first hike in excise duties since July 2019.
As per the official notification, the ED for cheaper and ordinary IMFL brands (with a declared price below ₹600 per case) has been raised from ₹100 to ₹110 per proof litre. For medium and premium brands (priced at ₹600 or above per case), the ED has increased from ₹115 to ₹125 per proof litre.
The ED on wine has risen from ₹25 to ₹30 per bulk litre, while for beer, the rate has gone up from ₹10 to ₹12 per bulk litre.
AED slabs have also been revised with a rationalization of slabs. The new AED rates for IMFL range from ₹85 to ₹325 per proof litre. For beer, it ranges between ₹33 and ₹42 per bulk litre, while for wine, it spans from ₹50 to ₹145 per bulk litre.
With this increase, the IMFL category prices are going to see an increase by Rs 10 to Rs 47 for 750 ml liquor bottles, by Rs 3 to Rs 11 for 180 ml bottles, by Rs 6 to Rs 7 for 650 ml beer bottles, and by Rs 13 to Rs 26 for 750 ml wine bottles.
With the revised excise structure, the Puducherry government anticipates an additional annual revenue of ₹185 crore in this financial year.
“It is a big increase. People will feel the pinch as the government has accumulated and effected a steep hike in one shot,” said a local liquor trader.
However, the liquor prices will continue to be lower than adjoining states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
In addition, the government has proposed a rise in licence fees for liquor manufacturing units, wholesalers and retailers, along with duties on import and export of liquor. A draft notification outlining these proposed changes has been published on the Excise Department’s website. The move is expected to generate around ₹60 crore in revenue, according to sources.