It was ‘Liquor Flood’ During Elections in Odisha; Rs 1000 cr Revenue in 5 Months !

BeyondHeadlines News Desk

Looks like the whole Odisha was literally drowned in liquor during the last general elections. Nothing else explains the state government earning a whopping Rs 988.8 crore as revenue from liquor sale during the pre-election phase – between January 2014 and May 2014 !

According to a press release issued  by leading RTI activist Pradip Pradhan, the information was provided by the PIO of the state Excise department on July 24 in response to an RTI query on the sale of liquor from Jan to May 2014.

“The practice adopted by major political parties of distributing liquor among the party cadres to lift their spirits for the campaign and the common people to buy their votes during elections is very common in Odisha and elsewhere in the country. But it is difficult to believe that the consumption of liquor had reached such unthinkable magnitude during the last general elections in Odisha, ” Pradhan said.

This is something that the Election Commission of India must take note of and order a probe because  distribuion of liquor  was part of the election expenses of political parties, which however never ever mentioned it in their statements. Pradhan told OST.

From the information provided by the dept. of Excise, it was found that production and sale of liquor and its consumption increased manifold during January to May 2014.

The following data has been furnished by the Excise department in response to the RTI query:

Sale position of India Made Foreign Liquor ( IMFL), Beer and Country Liquor

2. Total amount of Excise Revenue collected from Jan to May 2014 was Rs. 988.8 crores

3. A. Production of CS liquor for the period from Jan to May 2014 was 1271 trucks
One Truck = 1000 cases = 5000 BL

B. Production of O.S. Liquor for the period from Jan. to March 14 was 11630865 LPL.

C. Production of O.S. Liquor for the period from April to May is not available in this Dept.

Pradhan has also given details of the excise revenue earned from production and sale of liquor in the state based on the  information provided  by  the PIO, office of Excise Commissioner, Odisha  on 28.2.14 to highlight how the sales jumped manifold before and during the general elections in the state.

1. Quantity of both Country  and Foreign Liquor  sold by State Govt. directly or through License Holders in the state

1. No. of Licence issued  for opening liquor shops for sale of both country and foreign liquor in the state

1. Total amount  collected  from issuing  licence  for foreign liquor  Shop in each year

1. Details of Excise Revenue  collected

Information  provided by Odisha State Beverages Corporation Ltd.  On dated 1.3.14 is as follows.

1. Sale of IMFL/ Beer/ Country spirit  in Odisha

1. Deposit of Excise Duty/ Import Fee in Advance with Govt.  for selling of IMFL/Beer/CS

( Rs. In Crores)

(Courtesy: Odisha Sun Times)