Hard liquor to cost more in coming year

Come 2011 and liquor would be more expensive in the Capital.

Come 2011 and liquor would be more expensive in the Capital.

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Delhi government has worked out a proposal to increase prices of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), foreign liquor and country-made liquor by up to 15%. Beer prices, however, are likely to remain unchanged.

According to senior excise officials, their target of revenue collection through excise duty in 2010-2011 has been revised to Rs 2,000 crore. “The only option we have to meet this stiff target is by increasing liquor rates,” said a senior excise department official.

After value-added tax, excise is the second largest revenue source for Delhi government.

The excise department came upp with a proposal to increase the prices of country-made liquor in a cabinet meeting on Monday. The cabinet, however, has asked the department to prepare a comprehensive plan and proposed hike in the prices of other types of liquor as well.

“We have already increased beer prices twice this financial year. IMFL in Delhi is at least 30% cheaper than in Uttar Pradesh. We can revise our prices in this segment,” the official said.