COVID outbreak: Excise revenue up by 18% in Assam

GUWAHATI: Even though there was almost a three-month lockdown across the State because of the outbreak of Coronavirus, the State Excise department could collect Rs 1,450 crore revenue till December 2020. This is 18 per cent more than the amount collected during the corresponding period in 2019. In December 2020 alone, the Department could collect Rs 240 crore revenue as against Rs 135 crore in December 2019.

This year, the Department targeted to collect Rs 3,300 crore revenue, including VAT (Value Added Tax) on liquor. Such a jump has been possible due to the series of reforms which the Department has adopted.

In this fiscal, the Department collected Rs 2,000 crore revenue. Altogether 92 lakh bulk litres of liquor per month is consumed in the State. Guwahati alone has 313 IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) shops, 178 IMFL bars and 38 country-liquor shops.