EXCISE DEPT: HIC, HIC, HURRAY!
* Fees paid by pharma companies to excise office in 2015-16 amounted to Rs 2.08 cr
* 10 pharmaceutical units in Ponda jurisdiction which procure alcohol for medicinal use
* Biggest share of revenue -- Rs 47.41 crore -- attributed to United Bewerages Company at Bethora
* 646 bars, 13 wholesalers and 125 retail outlets selling liquor in Ponda
* Wholesalers pay about Rs 50,000 as annual fee and bars pay Rs 4,000 in villages Rs 6,000 in urban areas
* Bars, restaurants with AC facilities pay Rs 8,000 in villages and Rs 14,000 in cities
* Renewals, licences and permit fees also fill coffers of excise department in Ponda
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PONDA
Despite growing taxes and prohibition in some states, alcohol is still in high spirits with growing demand among retailers in the State. The pharmaceutical sector has been high on alcohol as well.
Cough syrups and some other medicines use alcohol as an ingredient and fees paid by the pharmaceutical companies to the excise office during the last financial year 2015-16 amounted to Rs 2.08 crore, up from Rs 1.95 crore in 2014-15.
According to the Ponda excise office, there are 10 pharmaceutical units in its jurisdiction, which procure alcohol for medicinal use.
“During the financial year 2015-16, the revenue we accumulated by way of fees from pharmaceutical companies was Rs 2,08,62,197,” Datta Gaude, excise inspector at Ponda told The Goan.
Besides pharmaceutical companies, the excise office generated a total revenue of Rs 76.66 crore in the last financial year.
The biggest share of this revenue was attributed to United Bewerages Company at Bethora. Given the import duty levied on the company for bringing in beer cans from Karnataka and Maharashtra, the excise office earned a revenue of about Rs 47.41 crore in the last financial year.
Though Ponda is famous as a temple town, consumption of alcohol is high in the area. There are 646 bars, 13 wholesalers and 125 retail outlets that sell Indian Made Foreign Liquor and Country liquor.
For wholesalers, the annual fee levied is about Rs 50,000 and bars pay Rs 4,000 in village areas and Rs 6,000 in urban areas.
Bars and restaurants with air conditioner facilities pay Rs 8,000 in villages and Rs 14,000 in cities.
Renewals, licences and permit fees help the excise department to accumulate good revenue in Ponda.
