Excise seizures worth INR 431 lakh in dry Nagaland

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Feb. 28 (EMN): The department of Excise and Prohibition seized narcotics and liquor worth INR 431 lakh during the financial year 2020-21 (April to December 2020).

According to the annual administrative report of 2020-21 of the Excise and Prohibition department, it detected and registered 1187 cases and arrested 1188 persons, out of which seven were related to narcotics and other drug cases while 1180 were liquor-related cases.

During the current financial year, the revenue receipts on excise duty and licence fee (April 20 to January 2021) were only INR 165.15 lakh as per the report.

After the introduction of Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act 1989, the main function of the Excise and Prohibition department has shifted from revenue collection and regulatory role to enforcement of NLTP Act 1989 in the state, it stated.

Therefore, it said that the excise revenue earning has been reduced drastically since the revenue is only generated through issue of liquor to defence personnel through canteen store depots and to paramilitary bonded warehouses in Dimapur and fine amount realised from excise violators.

According to the data provided by the Excise and prohibition department, the highest revenue earned was prior to implementation of NLTP Act 1989 in 1987-88 with INR 584.37 lakh while in the year 2020-21 (April-January 2021), the revenue was only INR 165.15.