GUWAHATI, Sept 13: More than 5.30 lakh bulk litre (BL) of liquor is sold daily on an average in Assam, with the state earning over Rs 10 crore as excise revenue per day, state excise minister Parimal Suklabaidya said in the Assembly on Wednesday.
A ‘bulk’ litre is the actual volume of a liquid. In contrast, a ‘standard’ litre is the volume of the liquid if it were at standard temperature and density.
In reply to a question by Congress MLA Sibamoni Bora, Suklabaidya said the average daily sale of India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) is 3,06,772.577 BL.
In the case of beer, the approximate quantity sold per day is 1,66,589.883 BL and for country spirits, it is 57,818.365 BL.
As per figures from last financial year, the daily average revenue from excise was at Rs 10.85 crore.
The minister said licenses for 1,684 wine shops and 896 bars have been given in the state so far.
He said new licenses are given in urban areas as per requirements and in areas near inter-state borders to prevent smuggling of liquor from across the boundary.
In rural areas, except for allowing bar-cum-restaurants in tourist resorts, no other licenses for wine shops or bars are being issued at the moment, Suklabaidya added.
Replying to another question by Congress’ Jakir Hussain Sikdar, the minister said the state also has 486 country spirit shops.
The state has earned Rs 1,718.75 crore in excise revenue till August this fiscal, he added. (PTI)
