NEW DELHI, INDIA - APRIL 19: People in a long queue to buy liquor after the Delhi Government announced a one-week lockdown at INA Market on April 19, 2021 in New Delhi, India. A six-day lockdown has been imposed in Delhi in view of an exponential rise in Covid-19 cases. Long queues were soon spotted outside liquor shops in different parts of Delhi. (Photo by Sonu Mehta/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
The sale of alcohol surged during the final week of December in Delhi, with people consuming over 1.37 crore bottles of alcoholic beverages valued at more than Rs 245 crore during the Christmas and New Year celebrations, officials revealed on Friday.
In 2022, statistics showed the sale of more than 1.14 crore liquor bottles, amounting to over Rs 218 crore during the Christmas and New Year week.
On December 24, 2023, Christmas Eve witnessed the sale of 19.24 lakh bottles worth Rs 34.17 crore.
Delhi residents also purchased over 24 lakh liquor bottles valued at Rs 47.99 crore on December 31, 2023, New Year’s Eve.
Comparatively, last year’s New Year’s Eve saw the sale of 20.30 lakh bottles amounting to Rs 45.28 crore, according to data.
“A notable increase in liquor sales during the festive season in 2022 reflected enhancements in supply and brand availability,” stated a senior excise department official.
Data indicates that on December 24, 2023, sales accounted for 19.42 lakh bottles, 15.91 lakh bottles on December 25, 13.61 lakh bottles on December 26, 15.91 lakh bottles on December 27, 15.02 lakh bottles on December 28, 16.08 lakh bottles on December 29, 17.79 lakh bottles on December 30, and 24 lakh bottles on December 31, respectively.
During December 2023, the excise department accrued revenues of Rs 614.94 crore as excise duty and VAT, compared to Rs 577.98 in November and Rs 696.53 crore in October.
In 2022, revenue figures stood at Rs 559.98 crore in December, Rs 631.22 crore in November, and Rs 534.46 crore in October, as per data.
Officials projected that the revenue collection from excise sales, which was Rs 6,821 crore in the 2022-23 financial year, is expected to rise to Rs 7,365 crore in 2023-24. (With inputs from PTI)
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