According to senior officials, the department’s total revenue crossed INR 48,000 crore, marking an increase of nearly INR 5,000 crore compared to the previous financial year.
Officials said the state government introduced several changes in the duty structure for different categories of alcohol last year, while also tightening surveillance over transportation and distribution networks.
The enhanced monitoring and enforcement helped curb illegal liquor sales and the production of low-quality alcohol. Authorities said the measures improved regulatory compliance and boosted legal sales across the state.
Liquor production in Maharashtra also increased from 1.14 crore litres to 1.20 crore litres during the period.
The crackdown was extended to inter-state smuggling routes, particularly from neighbouring regions such as Daman, Diu, and Goa. Increased vigilance and a higher number of raids helped reduce illegal inflow and encouraged the sale of liquor produced within Maharashtra.
At present, liquor sale and consumption remain completely prohibited in around 100 locations across the state.
In June last year, the Maharashtra government increased excise duty on Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) by more than 50 percent, resulting in retail prices rising by over 60 percent.
Excise duties on country liquor and imported premium liquor were also increased by around 14 percent and over 25 percent respectively, while beer and wine were exempted from the tax hike.
Following these reforms, the government had projected a major rise in excise collections and set a revenue target of INR 57,000 crore for FY 2025-26, compared to INR 43,620 crore collected in the previous financial year.
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