Delhi Government Sold Over 61 Million Liquor Bottles and Made Rs 7,285 Cr. Last Year, According to Officials
According to sources, the Delhi government generated more than Rs 7,285 crore under its present excise regime in the previous year by selling more than 61 crore liquor bottles.
The Delhi government implemented the tax policy (old), which has been in effect since September 1, 2022, after its ambitious new excise policy for 2021–2022 came under CBI scrutiny for apparent irregularities in its execution.
According to an Excise Department official, the entire amount of excise income received between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2023, including the amount of value-added tax (VAT) collected, was Rs 2,013.44 crore.
In contrast, the new excise policy generated Rs 5,487.58 crore in income in 2021–22. The Delhi administration withdrew the new excise policy, which let private parties to participate in retail liquor sales, last year after LG VK Saxena suggested a CBI investigation into suspected anomalies in its execution, according to officials.
In connection with a case it had filed over suspected anomalies in the excise policy 2021–2022, the CBI detained the then deputy CM and excise minister Manish Sisodia. On November 17, 2021, the excise policy went into effect. It was completed in August 2022.
On September 1, 2022, the previous excise regime went into effect, and the government of Delhi took control the city’s retail liquor sales.
According to officials, over 600 retail locations have been opened by the four Delhi government enterprises since September 1, 2022: Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi Consumer’s Cooperative Wholesale Store (DCCWS), and Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (DSCSC).
