Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Excise Department made record seizures and arrests during the fiscal year 2022-2023. This was informed after the department’s monthly review meeting here On Sunday under the chairmanship of Excise Commissioner Ashish Kumar Singh on Sunday to appraise the collection of revenue and enforcement activities. According to the officials, the Excise Department has given top priority to enforcement activities for which the detection of cases and arrest of bootleggers have increased substantially in the financial year 2022-23.
During the fiscal year 2022-23, the department registered a record number of 61,377 cases against 40,598 cases in 2021-22 fiscal, showing an increase of 51% from that of 2021-22. Altogether 25,065 cases were registered in 2021-22.
A record number of 49,211 persons were arrested in the financial year 2022-23 against 33,551 persons in 2021-22, showing an increase of 47% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21, only 19,239 persons were arrested.
At the same time, a record number of 1,949 cases were registered under the NDPS Act in the financial year 2022-23 against 748 cases in 2021-22, showing an increase of 161% from that of 2021-22. In the year 2020-21, only 396 cases were registered under the NDPS Act. During the period, 2,232 persons were arrested under the NDPS Act against 849 persons in 2021-22, showing an increase of 163% from that of 2021-22. In 2020-21 only 381 persons were arrested.
In the financial year 2022-23, a record quantity of 32,512 grams of heroin was seized against 12,567 grams of the narcotic in 2021-22, showing an increase of 159% from that of 2021-22. In 2020-21 only 3,654 grams of heroin were seized.
In the financial year 2022-23, the department seized 41,330 kg of ganja have been against 1,566 kg in 2021-22, showing an increase of 30% from that in 2021-22. In the year 2020-21, only 16,962 kg of ganja was seized.
In tune with the 5T initiatives of the Government of Odisha, the Excise Department has switched over to the digital workplace eAbkari with the technical support of the NIC by developing and implementing about fifty online modules as of date bringing transparent, hassle-free, timely service delivery.
In the financial year 2022-23, an amount of Rs 8,967.49 crore towards excise revenue including VAT has been collected against Rs 7,622.41 crores towards excise revenue and VAT in 2021-22 showing a growth of 17.65%. Rs 5,400.21 crore was collected in the year 2020-21.
The Excise Commissioner also reviewed the data digitisation, implementation of IT, non-settlement of shops, arrear revenue collection, and compliance of petitions and instructed all Superintendents of Excise and EI EB units to strengthen as well as enhance the enforcement measures for the year 2023-24 and to conduct frequent raids against the illegal manufacturing, distribution and sale of ID Liquor/ duplicate IMFL / Non-duty paid IMFL / NDPS items in the state.
Further, the Superintendents of Excise, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh and Sundargarh were directed to conduct sustained raids in Jharsuguda and adjacent areas on account of the by-election to the Jharsuguda Assembly constituency. The EDC, ND, Sambalpur, was instructed to monitor the enforcement activities on daily basis.
The monthly review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Ashish Kumar Singh, Excise Commissioner, Odisha, through virtual mode wherein Rama Chandra Palata, Addl. Commissioner of Excise, Sarat Chandra Mohapatra, Joint Commissioners of Excise, Rama Chandra Mishra, EDC, Enforcement, Rajat Kumar Praharaj, EDC, Policy, SomanathMajhi, EDC, Establishment, Rajendra Bhotra, EDC, ND, Dambarudhara Khanda, EDC, SD and all Superintendents of Excise attended.
