59% Increase In Per Capita Liquor Consumption In Punjab
CHANDIGARH: Punjab is on a quite a high. The state has recorded an astronomical jump in downing alcohol, or better still, drowning in it. The per capita consumption of liquor in Punjab increased by 59.2% from 2.5 proof liters (PL) to 4.09 proof liters in just six years between 2005 to 2011.
The consumption of liquor in the state rose from
660 lakh PL to 1,173 PL in 2011, pushing Punjab to the second slot just
behind Kerala.
There are over 7,000 liquor vends in the state, including of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and Punjab made liquor (PML).
But according to the comptroller and auditor general (CAG), the Punjab's excise department has failed to keep pace with the increasing trend of alcohol consumption in the state and could have earned more than what it did.
Punjab's profits from liquor increased from Rs 1,568.16 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 2,373.07 crore in 2010-2011 but as per a CAG report on the Punjab excise department, the revenue should have been more than this.
The report states that the state government has not specified norms for the production of alcohol and beer from grains due to which potential revenue loss is possible.
The report has pointed a number of flaws in policies and other discrepancies that resulted in revenue loss to the government.
As per the report, the allotment of additional quota for sale of liquor at concessional rates to the licensees was injudicious resulting in loss of revenue to the government.
The allotment of additional quota between 2007 and 2010 resulted in a loss of Rs 22.61 crore, says the report.
The department also failed to fully utilize the development funds.
As per the report, out of the Rs 31.49 crore collected up to March, 2010, only Rs 5.63 crore were utilized by the excise department.
The CAG report has also rapped the excise department for not transferring education cess to the education department fund.
The report states that Rs 199.78 crore was collected from 2005 to 2010 as education cess but only Rs 32.99 crore was transferred during April 2008 to January 2009 to the education department fund and the remaining Rs 166.79 were not transferred.
The CAG has also slammed the excise department for non-recovery of license fee, interest and stated that the department does not have adequate manpower.
Among a number of recommendations, the CAG has suggested to the excise department to review the policy of allotment of additional quota of liquor at concessional rates.
Link:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-30/india/31260508_1_excise-department-foreign-liquor-cag-report
There are over 7,000 liquor vends in the state, including of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL) and Punjab made liquor (PML).
But according to the comptroller and auditor general (CAG), the Punjab's excise department has failed to keep pace with the increasing trend of alcohol consumption in the state and could have earned more than what it did.
Punjab's profits from liquor increased from Rs 1,568.16 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 2,373.07 crore in 2010-2011 but as per a CAG report on the Punjab excise department, the revenue should have been more than this.
The report states that the state government has not specified norms for the production of alcohol and beer from grains due to which potential revenue loss is possible.
The report has pointed a number of flaws in policies and other discrepancies that resulted in revenue loss to the government.
As per the report, the allotment of additional quota for sale of liquor at concessional rates to the licensees was injudicious resulting in loss of revenue to the government.
The allotment of additional quota between 2007 and 2010 resulted in a loss of Rs 22.61 crore, says the report.
The department also failed to fully utilize the development funds.
As per the report, out of the Rs 31.49 crore collected up to March, 2010, only Rs 5.63 crore were utilized by the excise department.
The CAG report has also rapped the excise department for not transferring education cess to the education department fund.
The report states that Rs 199.78 crore was collected from 2005 to 2010 as education cess but only Rs 32.99 crore was transferred during April 2008 to January 2009 to the education department fund and the remaining Rs 166.79 were not transferred.
The CAG has also slammed the excise department for non-recovery of license fee, interest and stated that the department does not have adequate manpower.
Among a number of recommendations, the CAG has suggested to the excise department to review the policy of allotment of additional quota of liquor at concessional rates.
Link:
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-03-30/india/31260508_1_excise-department-foreign-liquor-cag-report
No comments:
Post a Comment
Your Comment