Rajasthan hikes liquor prices to boost revenue

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Liquor has become costlier in Rajasthan, with the state government imposing a surcharge of up to Rs 30 to mop up revenue amid the COVID-19 crisis. The state finance department said the decision has been taken to mitigate natural or man-made calamities like floods, epidemic etc.

"The order has been taken in exercise of powers conferred by section 28-A of the Rajasthan Excise Act, 1950 where surcharge can be charged on all kinds of liquor for the purpose of mitigating natural or man-made calamities like drought, flood, epidemic, public health exigencies, fire etc.,” the finance department said on Tuesday.

The surcharge on Indian-made Foreign Liquor will be Rs 5 for 180 ml and 375 ml bottles, breezers, miniature and other packaging, while it will be Rs 10 on 750 ml bottles. For beer, Rs 20 will be charged for 650 ml and 500 ml bottles besides Rs 30 on BIO (bottled in origin).

A surcharge of Rs.1.5 has been imposed per bottle of country liquor and Rajasthan Made Liquor (RML).

In April, the state government had increased excise duty on liquor by 10 percentage points.