In 'dry' Gujarat, govt collects ₹34 cr in tax in two years on liquor sales

The Gujarat government has collected Rs 33.98 crore in taxes in two years from sale of liquor through 28 hotels in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar districts, the state assembly was informed on Monday.

During Question Hour in the ongoing Budget Session, Congress MLA Imran Khedawala raised the query related to number of hotels having permits to sell liquor in these two districts and the tax collected by the government during the last two years.  In his written response, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who handles Prohibition and Excise department, said 22 hotels in Ahmedabad and six hotels in Gandhinagar district have been given permits to sell liquor.  The state government earned Rs 14.45 crore in 2023 and Rs 19.53 crore in 2024 as tax on the sale of liquor at these hotels, Patel said. Patel added that no permit has been cancelled during the last two years. Notably, Gujarat has been a 'dry' state since its inception and sale of liquor is regulated by the government.