PANAJI
Even though a number of hoteliers have complained that they are finding it difficult to sell all their rooms, it appears that enough tourists have already visited Goa already because excise collections for the months of October and November are 19.6% up collectively on year-on-year basis.
The season starts in October in Goa, which brings in tourists from everywhere leading to a spurt in alcohol consumption. Due to this, there is an appreciable growth in the excise collections in the months of Octob
er and November this year.
A source informed, "Excise collections stood at Rs 33.58 crore in October 2017, which was 20.9% more than Rs 27.77 crore excise collected in October 2016. Similarly, November 2017's excise collections amounting to Rs 34.84 crore was 18.3% more than Rs 29.44 crore excise collected in November 2016."
In fact, November 2017's excise collection at Rs 34.84 crore was the highest for any month in the current financial year 2017-18 so far. The impact of tourist season becomes very evident when we realise that the state collected a mere Rs 20.9 crore as excise in April 2017 (which was an off-month).
For the eight months, from April to November 2017, the state government collected Rs 225.04 crore through excise, which was 19.8% more than Rs 187.85 crore collected from April to November 2016. This is despite the Supreme Court (SC)'s order as per which sales of alcohol is not allowed through bar, restaurant, hotel or liquor store, within 500 meters from national and state highways.
This order of SC was issued in December 2016 and had initially jolted the alcohol trade, as several license-holders along the highways feared that it would be the end of the road for them. Initially, it appeared that 3,200 liquor licenses would have to be shut in Goa of total 11,900 licenses.
Subsequent to the original order, the SC gave few relaxations, which made the order not applicable to city areas. Meanwhile, the distance limit of 500 meters from the outer edge of highways was reduced to 220 meters for areas comprised in local bodies having a population upto 20,000.
The state government also amended its excise act, which changed the way of measuring distance from "as a crow flies" to "from the nearest approachable road." Due to all these changes, a significant number of liquor licenses could be saved from the impact of the order.
At the moment, 1,345 liquor licenses have not been renewed in compliance of SC's order. But the fact that excise collections grew by 19.8% year-to-date in FY 2017-18 shows that the closure of 1,345 licenses has not had any impact on state's excise collections.
A source informed, "Excise collections stood at Rs 33.58 crore in October 2017, which was 20.9% more than Rs 27.77 crore excise collected in October 2016. Similarly, November 2017's excise collections amounting to Rs 34.84 crore was 18.3% more than Rs 29.44 crore excise collected in November 2016."
In fact, November 2017's excise collection at Rs 34.84 crore was the highest for any month in the current financial year 2017-18 so far. The impact of tourist season becomes very evident when we realise that the state collected a mere Rs 20.9 crore as excise in April 2017 (which was an off-month).
For the eight months, from April to November 2017, the state government collected Rs 225.04 crore through excise, which was 19.8% more than Rs 187.85 crore collected from April to November 2016. This is despite the Supreme Court (SC)'s order as per which sales of alcohol is not allowed through bar, restaurant, hotel or liquor store, within 500 meters from national and state highways.
This order of SC was issued in December 2016 and had initially jolted the alcohol trade, as several license-holders along the highways feared that it would be the end of the road for them. Initially, it appeared that 3,200 liquor licenses would have to be shut in Goa of total 11,900 licenses.
Subsequent to the original order, the SC gave few relaxations, which made the order not applicable to city areas. Meanwhile, the distance limit of 500 meters from the outer edge of highways was reduced to 220 meters for areas comprised in local bodies having a population upto 20,000.
The state government also amended its excise act, which changed the way of measuring distance from "as a crow flies" to "from the nearest approachable road." Due to all these changes, a significant number of liquor licenses could be saved from the impact of the order.
At the moment, 1,345 liquor licenses have not been renewed in compliance of SC's order. But the fact that excise collections grew by 19.8% year-to-date in FY 2017-18 shows that the closure of 1,345 licenses has not had any impact on state's excise collections.
