Liquor sale in Maharashtra reduces in comparison to previous years

The highest sales of domestic and foreign liquor are from Mumbai, Pune and Thane. In 2019, the government had generated a revenue of INR 1,928.55 crore from these three cities. However, this year only 764.55 crore has been generated.

Liquor sale in Maharashtra reduces in comparison to previous years
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Coronavirus lockdown has impacted the liquor business across the state as the production and sale of alcohol has decreased when compared to the previous years. According to the data released by the state excise department, the revenue collected due to liquor sales has declined by 39 per cent this year as compared to last year. 

The department had set a target of over INR 19,000 crore for the sales in 2020-21, however, due to the coronavirus outbreak, the liquor shops were closed for several months, and the revenue, as per records has reduced to INR 3842 crore, sources said.

The state of Maharashtra has been a leading producer of liquor in the country and over the last many years, the government receives a large amount of revenue, however, the impact has been massive this years.

Records state that the highest sales of domestic and foreign liquor are from the cities of Mumbai, Pune and Thane. Last year, the state government generated a revenue of INR 1928.55 crore from these three cities. However, this year, the revenue has been just over 764.55 crore.

Moreover, the state witnessed a sale of over 4.21 crore through Indian liquor, and this year, for four months, i.e. from April to August 2020, officials have recorded sales of over 2.91 crore, indicating that the sale of domestic liquor has decreased by 38 per cent in comparison to the last.

In 2019, over 1.27 crore was generated through foreign liquors. However, sales worth only 86.15 lakh has been generated in 2020, showing a decrease of 33 per cent this year. Besides this, the sales of beer dropped by 63 per cent and wine by 39 per cent.

Meanwhile, the government allowed the sale of IMFL during the lockdown, where one could place an order online. This decision was taken as officials witnessed long queues and crowds outside the liquor shops, when the state had permitted the sale of alcohol post the first few months of the outbreak. People flouted social distancing norms and a lot of chaos was witnessed to purchase liquor in a few days. Observing this, the shops were shut and were asked to sell the liquor online, and delivery model was used instead. 

The government also ensured that only those liquor dealers who have a license under the Mumbai Foreign Liquor Act 1953, can deliver liquor under the conditions imposed by the government. From April 1 to September 18, 2020, over 1.56 lakh people had applied to the state excise department for a liquor license, out of which more than 1.50 lakh have been given the permission.

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