Liquor home delivery in Odisha: Excise Department asks collectors to complete recheck stocks

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Excise department has asked collectors of all districts to complete recheck/verification of liquor stocks in FL ‘ON’ and ‘OFF shops across the State within a week.

The Excise department in its letter to all district collector said that the State government has imposed “Special Covid Fee” on all Foreign Liquor India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), Beer, wine and RTD (Ready to Drink) sold in the State. After the imposition of Special Covid fee, the MRP of 2020-21 has increased substantially.

It further said that with the introduction of police regarding home delivery by the FL ‘OFF and FL ‘ON’ shops licensees, all these licensees have allowed to sell the remaining stock of 2019-2020 available with them at the time of closure (i.e after the closure of business hour on 20.3.2020 in case of FL ‘ON’ shops and 22^nd/ 24^th of March, 2020 in case of FL ‘OFF’ shops) at the enhanced MRP of 2020-21. The licensees have been instructed to deposit the different amount (i.e MRP of 2020-21) with OSBC Ltd.. OSBC will deposit the amount with government under proper head of account.

“In order to ensure that the differential amount collected by the retail licensees is deposited in the State Exchequer, the excise field official have been instructed to verify the stock in FL ‘OFF’ and FL ‘ON’ shops before allowing them home delivery,” the Excise Department’s letter added.

The letter further said that in the meantime in most of the districts this verification has already been completed. Since this involves huge government revenue, it is felt proper to have transparency in the exercise.  It is therefore advised to get the whole process rechecked by Executive Magistrate/ Revenue Officers.

“While conducting this stock verification as on the date lockdown, it will be prudent to take into account the last stock lifting details prior to lockdown from OSBC (available with Excise Officers), the daily average sales figures maintained by the retailers as well as the detail of home delivery executed during the current period. This process should be completed within a week possibly and a report conforming the same may be submitted to Excise Department without fail,” ended the letter.