Tamil Nadu earns revenue of over Rs 21,680 crore from liquor sale

CHENNAI: Sale of liquor in the state-run TASMAC outlets continue to be a major source of income for the Tamil Nadu government with a whopping Rs 21,680.67 crore earned as total revenue during 2012-13.

This is a 19.91 per cent growth from last year. The sum included an excise revenue of Rs 12,125.31 crore and sales tax of Rs 9,555.36 crore, the policy note of the government said.

The Tamil Nadu government levies excise duty on liquor for human consumption manufactured in the state and levies a 'Special Fee' for the goods manufactured in other states but sold within the state.

The total revenue during 2011-12 included excise revenue of Rs 9,956.06 crore and sales tax of Rs 8,125.10 crore totalling Rs 18,081.16 crore, it said.

The collection of special fee levied on imported liquor by star hotels and recreational clubs by the state government has also increased drastically.

A total of Rs 2.70 crore have come as special fee during 2012-13 to the government, whereas it was Rs 1.96 crore during the year-ago period.

The government also earns a revenue of Rs 1.73 crore per month approximately by the sale of excise labels, it said.

State excise labels are being issued to Indian Made Foreign Spirit (IMFS) and beer manufacturing units and Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC) to affix them on the IMFS, beer bottles manufactured locally and those imported from other states with the aim to ensure proper accounting of excise revenue and for preventing the flow of illicit liquor into the state.

At present, the average monthly requirement of excise labels is 24.8 crore, the note said.