Haryana to suffer Rs 1,340 cr loss due to shifting of liquor vends

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Excise and Taxation department today said it will suffer financial loss of Rs 1,340 crore because of shifting of liquor vends from national highways.

Haryana Excise and Taxation Commissioner Sudhir Rajpal said out of total 3,500 vends, about 1,300 such liquor vends have been removed from the highways.

"Contractors have been asked to shift their places for liquor vends," Rajpal said.

He informed that about Rs 2,700 crore was collected as excise duty from liquor vends last year. This year, a loss of about Rs 1,340 crore is expected due to shifting of liquor vends from highways.

Punjab and Haryana High Court had in January this year directed both states' governments to ensure that no liquor vends were operated on national and state highways passing through the states.

Haryana Excise and Taxation minister Kiran Choudhry, while presiding over a review meeting of District Excise and Taxation Commissioners, directed the officers to enforce complete ban on illegal sale of liquor on highways.

Choudhry asked the officers to become more proactive for recovery of old arrears and advised them to be extremely careful while recommending to write off dead arrears.

While reviewing the Passenger and Goods Tax ( PGT), Choudhry told the officers to increase the enforcement on transport vehicles especially tourist buses.

"We must have proper data on how many tourist buses are entering in the state," she said.