PNS | DEHRADUN
In a decision aimed at reducing the menace of overpricing of liquor, the State government has made a provision of suspending the licence of the shops involved in overpricing in the new excise policy. The policy for the year 2025 was approved by the State cabinet in its meeting held at the secretariat on Monday. In the new policy, the sale of the liquor will be strictly prohibited in the vicinity of temples. The provision of opening of sub shops which had attracted much criticism has been removed in the new policy. The government has taken a revenue target of Rs 5,060 crore from excise for the financial year 2025-26 in the new policy.
In the year 2023-24, the excise department had earned a revenue of Rs 4,038.69 crore against a target of Rs 4,000 crore. The government had set a target of Rs 4,439 crore in the year 2024-25 from the excise against which the department had collected a sum of Rs 4,000 crore till February 2025.
In an attempt to increase self-employment opportunities the government has decided to exempt the winery units set up by local people in the mountainous areas of the State from excise duty for next 15 years in the new policy. Apart from creating employment opportunities the winery units will prove economically beneficial for farmers and horticulturists. Under the new policy, the State government has offered many concessions to the malt and spirit industries in the mountainous areas.
