Haryana eyes Rs 3,000-cr excise revenue in FY13

Haryana is eyeing a revenue of Rs 3,000 crore from the 2012-13 excise policy that has slashed the value-added tax from 25 per cent to 15 per cent for all the bars in state, while increasing the excise duty on country liquor (CL) and Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL). The revenue target for the current financial year is Rs 2,600 crore.

The new policy, which the state cabinet approved last weekend, has earmarked Rs 10 crore to boost barley cultivation among the farmers. The state’s distilleries are being encouraged to thus produce spirit, as it will give reasonable remuneration to the farmers when extracted from even sub-optimal or spoilt grains.

 

The policy, which a Cabinet meeting by chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda approved on Saturday, has not changed the maximum basic quota of both CL and IMFL at retail outlets. The total number of vends in the state will remain 3,500 — of which 2,265 will serve country liquor and 1,235 IMFL. The Cabinet decided to increase and rationalise the minimum retail sale price of liquor.

The rates of import duty have been increased with a view to protecting the local manufacturers of liquor. The excise duty on CL and IMFL shall be marginally increased, but the duty on beer and wine will remain unchanged (being low-alcohol content drink).

The increase in the excise duty will be as follows: CL: Rs 4 per per litre (from Rs 11 to Rs 15); IMFS: Rs 3 per PL (from Rs 37 to Rs 40); Beer: no increase (Rs 20); wine: no increase (Rs 3) and Scotch: Rs 13 per PL (from Rs 57 to Rs 70).