UP aims to reduce limit of wastage in re-distillation of liquor

The Uttar Pradesh government has to reduce the limit of wastage in the process of re-distillation of plain and spiced country liquor, a senior UP government official said here on Saturday. In a statement issued here, Sanjay R Bhoosreddy, Principal Secretary Excise, said, "In view of the fact that on account of new technology based plant/machinery being used for manufacture of alcohol, ENA (extra-neutral alcohol) and the amount of wastage being minimum, it has been decided to reduce the limit of wastage as provided earlier in the process of re-distillation with a view to enhance the revenue receipts."

Bhoosreddy also said, "Re-distillation is a process in which expired liquor or unsold liquor goes back to the factory. Whenever re-distillation is done, there are losses. Earlier the permissible losses were 1.5 per cent and 2 per cent of the volume sent for re-distillation."

For example, if one lakh litre liquor is going for re-distillation, losses up to 2,000 litre are permissible, beyond which excise duty has to be paid. There have been instances of theft in name of re-distillation, and liquor used to be stolen in the name of losses, he said.

"Now, since technology has improved, hence the limit of wastage allowed has been reduced by 1 per cent (in both the categories)," he said.

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