Bhubaneswar: The sale of liquor and other intoxicant items is increasing in the State.
It was known from the data given by Odisha Excise Minister Aswini Kumar Patra in the State Assembly.
Responding to BJP’s Kusum Tete, the minister informed that the excise revenue is consistently increasing for the 10 years in the State.
In 2021-22, the state government received revenue of Rs 5,528 crore from the sale of liquor while the amount went up to Rs 6,455 crore in 2021-22. The State earned Rs 4,897 crore till December 31, 2023 from various excise sources.
Liquor revenue has increased more than three times in 10 years.
The Minister said that the excise revenue stood at Rs 1094 crore in 2010-11. It increased to Rs 6,455 crore in 2022-23.
On the other hand, illegal drugs worth crores of rupees like brown sugar, ganja, opium have been seized by Excise Department.
In 2022-23, the department seized contraband worth Rs 63.45 lakh crore which includes 31.796 kg brown sugar, 42.254 kg cannabis, 1,959 kg opium, 7,335 liters of cough syrup.
