Liquor to cost more in city
The Delhi government on Monday decided to implement barcoding on liquor bottles. The government also approved hike in the prices of country liquor by 15 per cent. Decision to implement barcoding will curb smuggling and ensure regulation of liquor sale.
Delhi finance and excise minister, A.K. Walia, said that Delhi is the first state to implement 2D barcoding of liquor bottles. “The barcoding is being implemented with an aim to have an effective inventory control and overcome problems arising out due to smuggling of liquor on daily basis. It will also enable online tracking of every bottle against import and transport permits,” said Mr Walia.
He said that after the notification is issued the quarts country liquor bottle would cost `70 against the current price of `60. The pints bottle would cost `35 instead of `30, while the nips bottle would cost `20, up from `15.
“The increase in the prices of the country liquor comes to 15 per cent, which will result in generation of excise duty of `56 crores in one year,” added Mr Walia.
Justifying the hike, he said that there has been increase in the wholesale prices. “The country liquor is procured from suppliers in wholesale on tender basis and sold in retail through government corporations on prices fixed by the government. There has been an increase in wholesale procurement price due to shifting from rectified spirit to extra neutral alcohol, use of uniform standardised bottles and improved cartons and increase in market price of molasses,” he added.
The project of bar-coding on bottles has been given to Tata Consultancy for seven years during which the agency is expected to scan 500 crore bottles.
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