Morung Express News
Kohima | April 9
Since the introduction of Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act 1989 in the state, revenue earning of the department of excise and prohibition has been reduced drastically.
The figure of revenue receipts from 1987 to 2006-07 reads as; 87-88- Rs. 584.37 lakhs, 88-89- Rs. 50.90 lakhs, 89-90- Rs. 110.09 lakhs, 90-91- Rs. 82.32 lakhs, 91-92- Rs. 101.15 lakhs, 92-93- Rs. 100.36 lakhs, 93-94- Rs.98.35 lakhs, 94-95- Rs. 109.39 lakhs, 95-96- Rs. 157.00 lakhs, 96-97- Rs. 199.00 lakhs, 97-98- Rs. 210.70 lakhs, 98-99- 189.63 lakhs, 99-2000- Rs- 170.65, 2000-01- Rs. 176.33, 2001-02- Rs. 182.58 lakhs, 2002-03- Rs. 197.94 lakhs, 2003-04- Rs. 200.60 lakhs, 2004-05- Rs.204.72 lakhs, 2005-06—Rs. 195.65 lakhs, 2006-07 –Rs. 193.26 lakhs (upto February’07).
According to the Annual Administrative Report of the department, in the current financial year the revenue receipts on excise duty (April 2006 to February 2007) stands at Rs. 188.58 lakhs and fine amount (April 2006 to February 2007) reads at Rs. 4. 68 lakhs.
The excise duty is collected on account of liquor supplied to Military and Para Military forces through Canteen Stores Depot and Para Military Bonded Warehouses @Rs. 98.10 per case for IMFL and Rs. 9.12 per case for beer, the report said adding the collection of excise revenue however fluctuates depending on the deployment strength of Army and Para Military forces in the state.
The fine amount indicated above is collected from compounding of cases under Section 76 of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1989, the report added.
The state excise and prohibition department administers the Nagaland Excise Act, 1967 and the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act 1989. The department also enforces the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985 in the state.
Following the introduction of Total Prohibition Act 1989, the main function of the department has been shifted from revenue collection to regulating role and enforcement, the report said.
In this respect, it said, the department’s duties mainly focused on preventive measures, and controls of possession, sale, consumption, manufactures and transportation of liquor and smuggling of excisable goods and other narcotics drugs in the state.
The department also controls and regulates the import, export and issue of liquor to Military and Para Military units through Canteen Stores depot and Para Military Bonded Warehouses located in Dimapur.
