Goa hikes excise duty on hard liquor and beer by up to ₹30 per litre

Liquor just got expensive in Goa with the state government, here on Tuesday, imposing an additional excise duty of Rs 25-30 per litre on entry-level hard liquor and Rs 22-30 on entry-level beer.

The hike in top quality hard liquor, according to a government notification, has been pegged between Rs 2,000 and Rs 2,400 per bulk litre and for the premium beer between Rs 38 and Rs 50 per bulk litre.

The notification has come at a time when licenced liquor sellers in the state has been demanding sops to tide over the coronavirus crisis, which had led to closure of liquor vends.

Liquor stores were opened in the first week of May, but in the absence of tourists the Goa Liquor Traders Association has estimated 70 per cent shortfall in sale.

One of the most popular tourism destinations in the country, Goa is known for its liberal liquor regime, where alcohol is taxed less against other states, especially neighbours Karnataka and Maharashtra.

There are over 10,000 liquor retailers in the state and the liquor industry contributes over Rs 400 crore a year to the state exchequer in form of taxes.